Preserving Our Trails Against the Tide of Solar Expansion

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The Trailhead Network

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By JD Marshall Host & Founder, The Trailhead Network

In an era where renewable energy is rightly seen as a critical step towards addressing the global climate crisis, the offroad community finds itself at a crossroads. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has recently unveiled a plan that sets its sights on 22 million acres of land across 11 western states, earmarked as “suitable” for solar energy projects. With an addition of six states to the plan, the potential for vast solar farms sprawls across the landscape, a move that ostensibly supports our march towards net-zero carbon emissions but poses significant questions for offroad enthusiasts and environmental stewards alike.

Just the Facts:
  • BLM’s solar plan targets 22 million acres across 17 states for potential development.
  • The fast-tracking process raises access and environmental concerns.
  • Public comments are crucial in shaping the final proposal.
  • Offroaders urged to advocate for balanced land use.

The Solar Plan’s Broad Strokes

At its core, the BLM’s initiative seeks to fast-track the deployment of solar farms across public lands. This strategy aligns with broader environmental goals but not without its caveats. The proposition of streamlining the permitting process for these projects under the Western Solar Plan—bypassing the more rigorous variance requirements mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—heralds a swift pivot to renewable energy sources. Yet, this pivot comes with the risk of sidelining the multifaceted value these lands hold for offroaders, wildlife conservationists, and indigenous communities.

Offroading: A Stakeholder’s Concern

For the offroad community, the lands under discussion are not mere parcels awaiting development but are integral to the fabric of outdoor recreation—a source of adventure, solace, and communal joy. The alternatives proposed by the BLM, from creating exclusion zones to prioritizing previously disturbed lands, offer a semblance of balance. However, the devil lies in the details, or the lack thereof, regarding how these plans will materialize on the ground and the extent to which offroad access will be preserved.

A Call to Action

The narrative unfolding across the American West is not novel, but the stakes are perceptibly higher. The expansion of solar projects, while a laudable goal in the fight against climate change, should not eclipse the equally vital objectives of preserving public land access for all. As the BLM opens the floor to comments until April 18, 2024, the offroad community and like-minded allies must voice their concerns, advocate for a genuinely balanced approach, and ensure that the rush towards a greener future does not leave the spirit of outdoor adventure in the dust.

The Blue Ribbon Coalition has all the information and a form for you to help get your comments started. Remember that substantive comments are the best way to get your voice heard and not to have your comment thrown away. Read this guide for how to do it best!

Click the image above to go to the Blue Ribbon Coalition for more information and forms to submit your comments.

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