BLM's Wind Energy Program

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wind Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Wind PEIS) was completed in June 2005 and evaluated issues associated with wind energy development on BLM-administered lands in eleven western states (not including Alaska). The record of decision (ROD) was signed in January 2006, which amended 52 land use plans. Detailed information and documents related to the Wind PEIS are available at the Wind Energy Development Programmatic EIS Information Center.

The amendments to 43 CFR 2800 implemented in 2017 strengthened existing wind ROW policies and created a new leasing program to support renewable energy development through competitive leasing processes and incentives to encourage wind energy development in suitable areas.

The BLM's West-wide Wind Mapping Project was completed in 2016; the project report is available. The goal of the project was to identify and map BLM-administered lands in the 11 states included in the Wind PEIS study area that would be: 1. Excluded from wind energy development; 2. Have high levels of environmental or other siting considerations; and 3. Have a moderate level of siting considerations. The project also included development of the Wind Mapper interactive web-based application that displays wind energy resources and relevant environmental data.

The BLM tracks wind energy projects on or connected to BLM-administered lands, including the project name, location (county and state), MW capacity, BLM acreage, technology, serial number, date of right-of-way issuance, and operational status. For a list of authorized wind projects on or connected to BLM-administered lands as of December 2019, see Wind Energy Project Information spreadsheet. As updates become available, they can be accessed on the BLM website's Wind Energy page.

Information about wind energy projects with ongoing NEPA evaluations can be located on BLM's National NEPA Register website.