US Interior Order Chokes Off Permits for Solar and Wind on Federal Lands | The department creates a seemingly impossible new permitting criteria for renewable energy.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/25518527

Sorry about the paywall, but the key facts are all in the beginning:

The Interior Department released a new secretarial order Friday saying it may no longer issue any permits to a solar or wind project on federal lands unless the agency believes it will generate as much energy per acre as a coal, gas, or nuclear power plant.

Hypothetically, this could kill off any solar or wind project going through permitting that is sited on federal lands, because these facilities would technically be less energy dense than coal, gas, and nuclear plants. This is irrespective of the potential benefits solar and wind may have for the environment or reducing carbon emissions – none of which are mentioned in the order.