Mosey Solar enters public scoping period
After some delays caused by the Trump Administration’s scrutiny of renewable energy projects on public lands, Renew Development HoldCo, LLC’s plan for the Mosey Solar Project is now moving forward.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that as of July 29, the proposal has officially entered the public scoping period, which will continue until August 28. As the project would straddle both Nye and Clark counties and be located wholly within the Pahrump Valley – where local opposition to commercial solar facilities has been made plain - there is little doubt that area residents will want to take their chance to submit thoughts on the proposal.
Planned to encompass approximately 3,565 acres, or just over five and a half square miles of BLM-managed lands in the southern part of the Pahrump Valley, Mosey Solar calls for a 500-megawatt photovoltaic system to include battery storage and generation tie line to connect to the Trout Canyon Substation. To facilitate the project, the BLM intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and amendment to the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan, with the draft EIS currently scheduled to be issued in January 2027 and the final EIS in December 2027. The public comment period is a necessary part of that process and allows interested parties the opportunity to express concerns and potential alternatives before the EIS is formally issued.
One group that has been actively monitoring and pushing back against large-scale solar developments in the desert environs of Southern Nevada and California is Basin and Range Watch, which issued its own news release following the BLM’s announcement on July 29.
“The project is one of six projects either under construction or planned for the region on unspoiled Mojave Desert habitat,” Basin and Range Watch asserted. “The region has been selected for sacrifice to accommodate large-scale energy infrastructure. In January 2025, most of the large-scale ‘renewable’ energy projects planned for public lands in the region were placed on an administrative review by the Trump Administration’s Interior Department, which set their schedules back for over one year. But many projects have now been cleared of these permitting hurdles by the interior department.”
Basin and Range Watch Co-Founder Kevin Emmerich expressed concerns that the Mosey Solar Project would impact both natural and cultural resources in the area, citing several examples of negative effects from other similar projects.
“Large-scale solar projects in this region have already disturbed and killed threatened desert tortoises, special status plants, burrowing owls, tens of thousands of Mojave yuccas, and kit foxes, among other species. Irreplicable archeological sites, viewsheds from the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, old desert pavements and biological soil crusts are all being compromised by large-scale solar development. About 18,000 acres of valuable public lands are planned to be sacrificed for large-scale solar energy here,” Emmerich proclaimed.
When it comes to the state’s top leader, however, the announcement that the BLM is moving this project forward was met with satisfaction.
“I want to thank the Energy Dominance Council and the Dept. of Interior for advancing the Mosey Solar Project and continuing to work with us on responsible energy development in Nevada,” Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo stated. “My office has been actively engaged with the federal government to help move this project, and others, toward approval because expanding Nevada’s energy capacity is essential to supporting our state’s continued growth. This 500-megawatt renewable power project will strengthen our energy grid, create good-paying jobs and deliver lasting economic benefits to Southern Nevada.”
Whether for or against the proposal, everyone can submit public comment on the Mosey Solar Project now through Friday, August 28. The plan of development and link to the public comment form can be found at tinyurl.com/57r98esa
For more information, contact BLM Project Manager Jessica Headen at JHeaden@BLM.gov or 702-515-5000.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
