Bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Congress could allow La Paz County to buy more land for solar energy development projects.
Democrat senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have introduced the La Paz County Solar Energy and Jobs Creation Act to enable the County to buy up to 3,400 acres of federal land in the eastern part of the state for solar power projects.
Representatives Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert, all Republicans, have introduced companion legislation in the House.
The County wants solar facilities along Interstate 10 that will connect with the Ten West Link transmission line running between New Mexico and California.
The Bureau of Land Management conveyed 5,900 acres to the County in 2020, following legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in 2019. More legislative attempts to add additional land for conveyance or purchase have followed.
The County signed an agreement with 174 Power Global in 2020 for development of solar projects in the eastern portion of La Paz. The Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use permit earlier this month for the Atlas project on land currently owned by BLM and the State of Arizona. The Board approved a separate CUP for a smaller facility that would also be constructed on State and BLM land.
A new 850-megawatt facility would be built on the land conveyed to the County. (Source)