DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN DRECP DRECP.org Frequently Asked Questions Q. What is the Desert Renewable Energy Q. Why is the DRECP important? Conservation Plan? A. Since 2009, state and federal agencies have A. The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan approved dozens of renewable energy projects (DRECP) is an innovative landscape-level plan that in the southern California desert. These projects streamlines renewable energy development, con- have established California as a lead in utility-scale serves valuable desert ecosystems and provides energy development and has put California on track outdoor recreation opportunities. to achieve its short-term renewable energy goals. However, to date these projects have been permitted The DRECP is a major component of the President’s through an agency-by-agency, project-by-project Climate Action Plan and California’s renewable approach, which does not always allow for land- energy planning efforts. It will help provide effective scape-level considerations about where projects protection and conservation of desert ecosystems should be located. The DRECP plans at a landscape while allowing for the appropriate development of level in order to identify where future renewable solar, wind and geothermal energy projects and energy projects are best suited, and where they are promoting outdoor recreation opportunities. not. The DRECP provides an opportunity for local, The DRECP covers 22.5 million acres in seven state and federal agencies to consider renewable California counties - Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los energy, conservation, wildlife, recreation and the Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego, many other values of the desert together in one including 10.8 million acres of public lands managed planning process. by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The DRECP was developed by the BLM, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Energy Commission and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, collectively known as the Renewable Energy Action Team (REAT). Bureau of Land Management #DRECP 1 DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN DRECP DRECP.org Q. What does the Phase I of the DRECP include? these areas, except for a small portion of certain Extensive Recreation Management Areas. A. As part of the DRECP, the BLM component, or Variance Lands – 40,000 acres of public lands Phase I, amends the California Desert Conservation managed by the BLM are potentially available Area Plan, the Bishop Resource Management Plan for renewable energy development but require and the Bakersfield Resource Management Plan. an extensive pre-application process to collect The BLM plan identifies priority areas for renewable additional information before BLM makes a energy development while setting aside areas for determination on an application. conservation and recreation. The plan also identifies General Public Lands – 400,000 acres of public National Conservation Lands, and designates Areas lands managed by the BLM are not covered by of Critical Environmental Concern, wildlife alloca- any of the above designations, although the tions and National Scenic and Historic Trail man- DRECP creates new management prescriptions for these lands. These lands are potentially agement corridors to conserve biological, cultural, available for renewable energy development. historical and other values. In recognition of the Examples of General Public Lands include importance of recreation in the area, the approved scattered parcels surrounded by private land, plan establishes Special Recreation Management lands underneath the Salton Sea, and lands with Areas and Extensive Recreation Management existing development such as mines, highways, Areas in order promote those recreational oppor- etc. that haven’t seen development demand. These areas were formerly Unallocated Lands. tunities and further support public access to these resources. Key allocations on BLM-managed lands Q. How does the BLM plan relate to the overall include: DRECP? Development Focus Areas – 388,000 acres of public lands managed by the BLM are available A. The BLM plan is the first phase of the DRECP and for solar, wind, and geothermal development. covers 10.8 million acres of public land managed Applications benefit from a streamlined permit- by the BLM. The decision to use a phased approach ting process with predictable survey require- was done in part to provide more certainty around ments and simplified mitigation measures. renewable development and conservation on public Conservation Designations – 4.2 million acres lands while providing more time for planning by the of public lands managed by the BLM are des- counties and local jurisdiction on private lands. ignated as National Conservation Lands, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, wildlife allocations, and National Scenic and Historic Q: Did the BLM consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Trail management corridors to conserve bio- Service on the DRECP Land Use Plan Amendment? logical, cultural and other values. These lands are in addition to the 5 million acres of existing A: On August 16, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conservation in the desert. Lands within these signed the biological opinion for the proposed designations are closed to renewable energy, Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) for the DRECP. and the BLM will not accept applications in In its biological opinion, the FWS concluded that these areas. BLM’s proposed action is not likely to jeopardize Recreation Designations – 3.5 million acres of the continued existence of California condor, south- public lands managed by the BLM are desig- western willow flycatcher, least Bell’s vireo, western nated as Special Recreation Management Areas yellow-billed cuckoo, Yuma Ridgway’s rail or desert and Extensive Recreation Management Areas to recognize a range of recreational values in the tortoise or result in the destruction or adverse desert. Lands within these designations are gen- modification of critical habitat of the desert tortoise. erally closed to renewable energy development The FWS also concurred with the BLM’s determina- and the BLM will not accept applications in tion that the LUPA is not likely to adversely affect an 2 DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN DRECP DRECP.org additional 19 federally listed species and 14 critical DRECP. The remaining protest issues were resolved habitat designations that occur in the plan area. without major changes, although minor clarifications were made to the final plan. Q. What changes were made between the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement in Q. What benefits will the DRECP provide for renew- November 2015 and the Record of Decision? able energy developers? A. The BLM made minor modifications, clarifica- A. The BLM’s approved plan identifies 388,000 acres tions and boundary adjustments to the plan as a of Development Focus Areas (DFAs) designed to result of internal reviews, protests, Areas of Critical streamline renewable energy development, and also Environmental Concern (ACEC) public comments identifies more than 400,000 additional acres where and other public feedback. These include: renewable energy can be considered. The DFAs Boundary adjustments, such as the inclusion were identified because of their energy generation of Centennial Flat in the National Conservation potential and relatively low resource conflicts. The Lands, additional lands added to the Pisgah plan has been structured, especially when paired with ACEC and removal of several developed areas BLM’s forthcoming wind and solar rule, to help steer from conservation designations; renewable energy development to these areas by pro- Adjustments to Conservation and Management viding a streamlined permitting path and predictable Actions to clarify intent and minimize mitigation requirements. inconsistency; Terminology changes – the naming of the Projects in DFAs, unlike other areas, will experience California Desert National Conservation Lands simplified environmental review because of the and the re-naming of unallocated lands to data collected and analysis done during the DRECP General Public Lands. process. Projects in DFAs will also have consistent and predictable mitigation requirements as reflected Q. How many protests were received on the Final in the conservation management actions contained Environmental Impact Statement? What were the in the approved plan. Developers can also take concerns? advantage of cutting edge data collected through the DRECP planning process. A. The BLM received 43 protests following release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Protests Q. Does the DRECP restrict renewable energy raised a variety of concerns, including BLM’s com- development? pliance with process requirements, mining, recre- ational access, tribal consultation and mitigation A. No. The plan designates 388,000 acres as policy. Development Focus Areas (DFAs), which have been pre-screened for development potential and minimal Q. What did the BLM do to address protests received resources conflicts, and therefore provide opportu- on the Final Environmental Impact Statement? nities for streamlined development. In addition there are more than 400,000 acres of land outside of the A. The BLM granted one protest issue related to DFAs that could also be considered for renewable proper noticing requirements for proposed Areas of energy development, including Variance Process Critical Environmental Concern. In order to resolve Lands (40,000 acres), General Public Lands