DOI OKs first commercial solar project on Indian trust land

The US Department of Interior (DOI) approved on 21 June a 350-megawatt (MW) solar energy project on tribal trust land the Moapa band (tribe) of the Paiute Indians in Clark County, Nevada. The project is a milestone, as the first solar utility-scale project approved for development on tribal lands. The record of the decision approved the construction, operation and maintenance of a low-impact photovoltaic (PV) system and related infrastructure on 2,000 hectares tribe reservation, 30 miles north of Las Vegas. The project is expected to be about 400 top construction and 15-20 permanent jobs generate.

K road Moapa solar LLC proposed by the project in three phases of each 100-150 megawatts would be built. In addition included for PV Panel array project 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line components deliver electricity to the power grid and a 12 kV transmission line to the existing Moapa Travel Plaza, after phase 1 is completed. About 12 hectares of U.S. public land managed by the Bureau of land management would be required for the 500 kV transmission lines. The project will finance income for the tribe to generate, create new jobs and opportunities for members and connect the existing root items owned travel Plaza to the electrical grid, reducing the dependence on a diesel-powered generator. In order to minimize and mitigate potential environmental impacts, a Desert tortoise translocation plan, a bird and bat strategy to maintain and weed management plan is implemented, and biologists are natural resources monitoring during all surface disturbing activities perform. See press release of the Interior Department.

View the original article here