While news of the White House solar installation captured the
world's attention yesterday, another historic change that could
have greater impact on solar energy in the U.S. was taking
place. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), part of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, announced it had approved the first
large-scale solar-energy projects to ever be built on public
land. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed final
versions of the Records of Decision for two solar installations,
both of which happen to be on public lands in California. They
will have a large impact on the amount of electricity generated
from solar as a result. "There are 11 million acres of public
lands in the California Desert, and a large majority of those
lands are managed for conservation purposes. These projects,
while a significant commitment of public land, actually
represent less than one-hundredth of one percent of that total
area. Given the many benefits, the extensive mitigation
measures, and the fair market value economic