A proposal to create a Mojave Trails National Monument along the Route 66 corridor in the Southern California desert hit a snag because of a provision about the placement of solar-energy plants on public land, reported the Press-Enterprise.
Sen. Diane Feinstein’s bill was formally introduced to the U.S. Senate this week. She wants to amend and speed up the permitting process of solar and wind plants on federal land, and argued that several of the proposed projects are unsuitable for protected lands. However …
Bureau of Land Management Director Robert Abbey said the agency is already on track to designate areas for renewable energy development by next year. While he supports the bill’s goals, Feinstein’s proposed timelines seem unrealistic, he said.
Some lawmakers, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, suggested that it might be counterproductive to prohibit development before the federal agencies complete their assessments of which lands are best suited for solar and wind projects.
But neither Murkowski nor any other member of the panel expressed opposition to the bill. Before voting on whether to approve it, the committee’s next step would be to hold a “markup,” where the members could make changes to the legislation.
The only other possible opposition was by Harry Baker of the California Association of 4WD Clubs. Feinstein’s bill permits all existing uses of the land and specifically recognizing four off-road vehicle trails. But Baker said he fears that four-wheeling would eventually be phased out there.
Considering that opposition to Feinstein’s bill seems tepid at best, Congress probably will pass it in a slightly modified form. More about the proposed Mojave Trails National Monument can be found here and here.