October 23, 2023 |
Photo – Wind turbine – Bigfoot99 file photo
At the same time the Bureau of Land Management is proposing to restrict recreation, mining and agricultural resource uses on 3.5 million acres of federal land in Sweetwater County, the agency is also greenlighting 213 wind turbine generators in the Red Desert.
The BLM sent a letter to the Carbon County Commissioners in early October announcing that it is preparing an environmental impact statement on the Jackalope Wind project to be located south of Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Rock Springs.
According to a letter from BLM Rock Springs Field Office to local government officials, the Jackalope Wind project will consist of up to 213 wind turbine generators (WTGs) that will produce up to 600 megawatts of renewable energy. The potential road network will require work in both Carbon and Sweetwater County.
The Project Area encompasses 271,457 acres, including 153,855 acres of BLM-lands. Of the nonfederal lands, 4,585 acres are state land, and 112,720 acres are private land.
The BLM told local officials in the letter stamped October 5, 2023 that an EIS is being prepared to analyze various alternatives, including a no-action option. The Bureau invited the Carbon County Board of Commissioners to participate in the process. As one commissioner said, “The BLM proposes shutting down nearly all activities in the Red Desert, but can still put 200 wind turbines with all of the environmental destruction that comes with it in there.”
