Recently, I discussed about how the U.S government plans to freeze new solar project applications on public land in six Western states. However, on Wednesday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM ) said it has reversed these decision.

“We heard the concerns expressed…about waiting to consider new applications and we are taking action,” BLM Director James Caswell said in a statement.

The BLM placed a moratorium on new applications while it prepared to conduct a 22-month study looking at the environmental, economic and social impacts of solar development on public land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industry Association said that it was encouraging that the BLM has decided to reverse the moratorium after the announcement was made. He also added that what they need now is for BLM to procese the solar project applications.

The government agency announced the freeze a month ago.

Before the freeze went into effect at the end of May, the government had received approximately 130 applications for development on more than 1 million acres of land, said Linda Resseguie, the BLM’s project manager for the study. Those applications have the potential to generate 70 billion watts of electricity, enough to power about 20 million homes in the United States, she said.

If you would like to know more about these issue, you maybe interested in this article as well: U.S Government to Freeze New Solar Projects ( 1st July 2008)

Via - Reuters, CNet