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Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland visits Arizona solar power project site

Policy makers hope that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar help turn the tide on climate change.

Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland was in Arizona Monday to visit a solar power site overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

The project includes battery storage infrastructure, a critical piece of solar energy that will help keep the lights on once the sun goes down.

Haaland addressed the media before touring the facility and announced the BLM will update some of its guidelines on solar power that are about a decade old.

She said public lands could play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis.

“As we look to stem the worsening impacts of the climate crisis, we know that clean energy, including solar energy projects on public lands, will help communities across the country be a part of the climate solution, while creating good paying jobs,” Haaland said.

The Sonoran Solar Energy Project, located near Buckeye, is expected to power about 91,000 homes.

It will be the largest solar battery powered project in Arizona.

Ron Dungan was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2020 to 2024.