LOCAL

BLM authorizes renewable energy transmission line in Doña Ana County

Staff Reports
Las Cruces Sun-News
The Bureau of Land Management has approved the La Mesa Gen-Tie Project in Doña Ana County, southeast of Las Cruces in Anthony, New Mexico, the agency announced Monday.

LAS CRUCES - In an effort to improve the nation’s energy infrastructure and help meet President Joe Biden’s goal of a zero-carbon electricity sector by 2035, the Bureau of Land Management has approved the La Mesa Gen-Tie Project in Doña Ana County, southeast of Las Cruces in Anthony, New Mexico, the agency announced Monday.

The decision record and finding of no significant impact grants El Paso Electric Company a right-of-way to construct, operate and maintain a 24-kilovolt generation interconnection (gen-tie) line and access road across public land, according to a news release. The 4.7-mile gen-tie line will serve as an interconnection between the 20-megawatt La Mesa Solar Facility and the Anthony substation. The gen-tie line will cross just over two miles of BLM-managed public land, the agency stated.

“Bureau of Land Management New Mexico is thrilled to play a role in fulfilling the president’s vision of deploying sustainable clean energy from our nation’s public lands,” said BLM New Mexico State Director Melanie Barnes. “The authorization of this gen-tie line will help us support this effort by adding 20 megawatts to the grid.”

The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands that have the potential to make significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio. To promote clean energy goals, the BLM is authorized to issue grants and leases for the environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public land and new transmission routes to connect into the grid.

A 30-day public comment period on the draft environmental analysis for the La Mesa Gen-Tie Project closed in October 2022. The decision record, environmental assessment and other associated documents are available for viewing through the ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2017528/510 or by visiting the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 1800 Marquess St. in Las Cruces. For information, please contact BLM Project Manager Paula Montez at pmontez@blm.gov.

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