Communities to Benefit from Renewable Energy Development in Arizona 

 
Tucson, ARIZONA (February 11, 2013) – In partnership with other Western states, U.S. Representatives from Arizona today introduced in Congress a proposal to establish a pilot project for leasing public land for renewable energy development. The bill, The Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2013, would use revenues from development leasing on public land to provide funds to local communities, and to specifically fund local conservation projects and the restoration of wildlife habitat. Sponsoring the legislation from Arizona include U. S. Representatives Paul Gosar, David Schweikert, and Ann Kirkpatrick.

 

Arizona is ideally suited to benefit from renewable energy development on its vast public lands. Promising land locations have already been identified in Arizona for renewable energy development as part of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management‘s (BLM) Restoration Design Energy Project. The BLM project work has helped to identify public land suitable for development, with low impacts on protected conservation land, wildlife habitat and endangered species, and other natural resources.

 

“Representatives Gosar, Schweikert and Kirkpatrick should be commended for their forward thinking, in
helping create economic opportunity for Arizona communities,” said Maria Baier, CEO of the Sonoran
Institute and a member of Governor Brewer’s Renewable Energy Task Force.

 

Research indicates that citizens strongly support developing renewable energy on public lands in the West. Citizens also favor using royalties collected for leasing public lands to protect wildlife and increase land conservation according to a recent survey of voters conducted in 11 western states.

 

“If enacted, this law would support local communities with royalty revenue and boost Arizona’s growing
clean energy economy,” said Dave Richins, director of the Sonoran Institute’s Sun Corridor Legacy Program.  “We applaud this type offorward thinking and leadership for our state. It is encouraging to see legislation introduced by such a diverse group of law-makers that creates so much opportunity for Arizona.”

 
Founded in 1990, the Sonoran Institute inspires and enables community decisions and public policies that respect the land and people of western North America. The Institute is a nonprofit organization that is working to shape the future of the West.

 

For more information, visit www.sonoraninstitute.org.
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