Samantha Solar is the Latest Project to Receive FAST-41 Permitting Assistance
Contact Information
Permitting Council Press Office (media@permitting.gov)
WASHINGTON (January 7, 2024) – The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is pleased to announce that Samantha Solar is the latest project to obtain FAST-41 coverage. If permitted, project developers anticipate that this $700+ million project will provide enough clean energy to power 174,000 Nevada homes.
“From offshore wind to solar and hydroelectric projects, over half of the Permitting Council portfolio is renewable energy based, showcasing the key role that this agency plays in President Biden’s clean energy agenda,” said Eric Beightel, Permitting Council Executive Director. “We are excited to welcome Samantha Solar to FAST-41 permitting assistance coverage and look forward to working with the Bureau of Land Management and project sponsors to make sure it receives every benefit of our unique and innovative program.”
The Samantha Solar project consists of an alternating current solar photovoltaic power generating facility with a battery energy storage system. The project is located in White Pine County, approximately 15 miles west of Ely, Nevada, on U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. The project is expected to produce 600 megawatts of energy annually. Project sponsors plan to employ 400 workers during the construction phase and up to 10 highly qualified long term employees during project operations.
Learn more about the Samantha Solar project at permitting.gov.
About the Permitting Council and FAST-41
Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.
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Last Updated: Tuesday, January 7, 2025