Federal solar panels in San Luis Valley

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Dept of Energy is looking to use 20,000 acres in the San Luis Valley as suitable for utility-scale solar projects. The main issue that most county officials in the valley is the potential water use of these projects.

Last summer, the BLM identified 24 parcels on the western side of the valley for study for solar development, largely in response to President's Obama push for renewable energy at whatever cost.

For more information, you can read about some BLM comments on this site: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2008/may_08/NR_053008.html.