Valuing the West again

Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Nevada is one of six Western states that has land under study by the Obama administration as part of its effort to find locations for large-scale solar power installations.

The Arizona Republic, which this month wrote about this study as part of a broader look at the administration’s interest in the West, said the study should be completed by the end of next year.

If a site in Nevada is chosen, and environmental concerns can be successfully addressed, another large-scale solar plant would help the state further its goal of becoming more economically diversified and would provide extra impetus for building even more renewable energy projects.

As a whole, the Republic story drew a distinction between how President Barack Obama views the West and how former President George W. Bush viewed it.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., expressed that distinction in the Republic’s story. “The previous administration was all about extraction of resources,” Grijalva said. “Now there’s an effort to strike a balance between extraction of resources and protection of the environment.”

While siting solar plants could have an environmental impact, although mild compared to the expanded drilling that Bush favored, Obama is striking a balance through other projects. These projects protect the environment while expanding opportunities for sporting and recreational activities.

For example, Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Act, which greatly affects the West. It expanded the National Trails System and extended wilderness designation to 2 million acres in nine states, six of them in the West.

The Republic story pointed out that under Obama, new ranges for wild horses are being considered, proposals for new uranium mines near the Grand Canyon were shot down and support for expanding Western national parks and national monuments has been forthcoming.

For eight years the West was valued by Washington primarily for its old resources, including oil, gas, coal and timber. It is a relief for it to be seen again for its environmental value and its new resources, including solar, wind and geothermal energy.