An upcoming meeting in Grand Junction will offer information about plans for solar energy development on public lands.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has scheduled the open house-style meeting for 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Grand Junction Convention Center, 159 Main St.

“The BLM is committed to ensuring public lands do their part to meet our nation’s clean energy goals,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “We can and must do so responsibly, and we look forward to hearing from the public on how to achieve that balance.”

The meeting is part of efforts to preview proposed revisions to the BLM’s utility scale solar energy programmatic environmental impact statement — also known as the updated Western Solar Plan. The plan would streamline the BLM framework for siting solar energy projects as well as expand the BLM solar energy program to cover five additional states across the West.

The plan will guide efforts to direct solar energy development to areas with fewer sensitive resources, less conflict with other uses of public lands and close proximity to transmission lines.

The updated Western Solar Plan evaluates six alternatives, each proposing to make different amounts of public land available to solar energy development applications under such criteria as proximity to transmission lines, designated critical habitat and other important ecological and cultural resources. Public comments will be used in developing a final environmental impact statement and record of decision.

The draft environmental impact statement was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 19, triggering a public comment period that will extend until April 18. In addition to the Grand Junction meeting, the BLM has scheduled two virtual and five other in-person public meetings during the comment period.

For more information about the updated Western Solar Plan and solar energy development on public lands across the West, visit the U.S. Bureau of Land Management solar program website located at www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/renewable-energy/solar-energy. To view the draft environmental impact statement and learn how to submit comments, log on to https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/510.