​01/21/2021

 

Bureau of Land Management Proposes Changes to CA Renewable Energy Plan 

On January 13, the Bureau of Land Management released a draft plan and environmental impact statement that recommends changes to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, that was initially approved under the Obama administration. The proposed changes include eliminating 1.8 million acres of areas of critical environmental concern and 2.2 million acres of California Desert National Conservation Lands. According to Deputy Interior Secretary Kate MacGregor "this proposal will add over 800,000 acres for renewable energy development and create a more measured approach to foster responsible off-highway vehicle recreation, rural broadband and other important multiple-use projects — including those needed to meet California’s renewable energy mandates." 

 

 

President Biden Starts Process to Rejoin Paris Climate Accord

 

On his first day in office, President Joe Biden began the process of rejoining the Paris Climate Accord with a letter to the United Nations requesting U.S. membership. It will take 30 days for the U.S. to formally reenter the nonbinding global agreement to reduce emissions. Biden has also laid out a series of actions he is going to take on Climate Change starting January 27. This includes initiating a series of regulatory actions to combat climate change domestically and elevating climate change to a national security priority.