Oct. 22--ALAMOSA -- The federal agency looking at designating more than 20,000 acres in the San Luis Valley as suitable for utility-scale solar projects, released public comments on the proposal Tuesday.

The comments on the valley's four parcels focused on the potential effects of the designation on water, and wildlife, while recommending regulations the agency should adopt.

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Energy initiated an environmental impact statement on the former's solar development parcels last year.

In the summer, the BLM identified 24 parcels across the West for study on whether they might be suitable for solar development and called for public comment on them.

Only one of the three valley counties with proposed parcels com- mented. Saguache County, which is home to the 1,522 acre De Tilla Gulch property, neither endorsed nor opposed the proposed designations.

The county's submission said the technology is developing rapidly, although little is known about the potential impacts of the facilities.

"It is essential that adequate baseline information be available, and monitoring reviews be included in arrangements between the BLM and industry, to assure early detection and mitigation of currently unforeseen impacts," the comments stated.

Arizona-based First Solar has a partial application for a project on the Saguache County parcel, said Mike Blakeman, the agency's public affairs officer in the valley.

None of the other three parcels has received development applications, he said.

Two parcels, totaling nearly 15,000 acres, are in Conejos County.

County commissioners there met with local BLM officials in August to discuss the proposed designation, but did not submit official comments.

The Rio Grande Water Conservation District sought to remind that there are no additional water supplies in the valley.

"In other words, any solar facility requiring a water supply to operate will have to secure that water through purchase of existing water rights and the retirement of existing consumptive uses," the district's letter said.

The district warned that development of a facility may require the retirement of significant amounts of agricultural acreage in order to gain the necessary analysis.

The district vowed to work with the agency as it proceeds through the process.

"However, we cannot provide you assurance that we will automatically be receptive to a federal solar power plant which has the impact of dislocating a significant portion of the valley's economy," it said.

In joint comments, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council and the Citizens for San Luis Valley Water Protection Coalition also expressed concern with potential water demands.

Their comments called for the agency to either demand air-cooling processes for solar plants or adopt a performance standard that specifies the amount of water that is acceptable per megawatt generated.

Moreover, the two groups urged the agency to withdraw three parcels in Conejos and Alamosa counties. They argued that solar development there would ruin some of the characteristics that led to the designation of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.

The next step in the federal agencies' study is to issue a draft environmental impact statement. While there is no timeline for that study, the agencies have said the draft would not come out until all of the comments had been analyzed.

All told, there were 35 sets of comments from individuals or groups in Colorado, although not all focused on the valley's parcels.

The bureau will not issue a timeline for a draft environmental impact until after comments on the parcels have been evaluated.

To view the comments visit the Internet.

matth@chieftain.com

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