By The Associated Press

Published: Friday, October 12, 2012, 7:23 p.m.
Updated: Friday, October 12, 2012

Federal officials on Friday approved a plan that sets aside 285,000 acres of public land for the development of large-scale solar power plants, cementing a new government approach to renewable energy development in the West after years of delays.

At a news conference in Las Vegas, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called the new plan a “roadmap ... that will lead to faster, smarter utility-scale solar development on public lands.”

The plan replaces the department's previous first-come, first-served system of approving solar projects, which let developers choose where they wanted to build utility-scale solar sites and allowed for land speculation.

The department no longer will decide projects on case-by-case basis as it had since 2005, when solar developers began filing applications. Instead, the department will direct development to land it has identified as having fewer wildlife and natural-resource obstacles.

1. Steelers rookie safety Thomas learning from Polamalu, Clark
2. Penguins notebook: Pens talking with Dupuis’ reps
3. Pirates announce signing of first-round pick McGuire
4. Senator’s liquor plan offers sales, packaging reform but no state store closings
5. Facial recognition technology moving toward identifying almost anyone
6. Pitt research facility dedicated in Hill District
7. Bad weather barrels through Western Pa.
8. Penn State scandal defendants lose second appeal
9. Grand jury continues investigation in meeting with former Ravenstahl bodyguard
10. Group pushing Clinton bid in 2016 gets key senator’s vote
11. Pirates notebook: Mercer now the top option at shortstop

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.