The Obama administration has made no secret of its interest
in developing increasing amounts of wind energy. However, it has
also made protecting public lands a similar priority.
Public lands in the U.S. can be as controversial as they are
beautiful. Public lands, which represent more than half of all of
the land in the western U.S., often conjure up notions of scenic
vistas and outdoor recreation – both important uses of
our shared resource. However, the half dozen or so federal agencies
directed by Congress to manage these lands for all Americans are
required to do so for multiple uses, including energy
development.
Western public lands have long been used for the development of
conventional energy sources, such as oil, gas and coal, and these
resources play an important role in meeting our nation's energy
demands. But in a new, cleaner energy economy, these same massive
tracts of federal lands are also of great interest, and perhaps
necessity, to wind energy
