The proposed solar energy zones in Lincoln County, in southeastern Nevada, drew most of the negative comments in a programmatic environmental impact statement on solar energy being prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

But some environmental groups expressed concerns over solar energy in Amargosa Valley.

A 32,699-acre tract of western Amargosa Valley, just east of the U.S. Ecology plant, is being proposed as one of 24 zones nationwide that will receive intense scrutiny for permitting under a fast track process.

The zones also include two sites in Esmeralda County: 5,830 acres just north of Gold Point and 19,205 acres around Miller's rest area, about 20 miles west of Tonopah.

Ranchers, ranching organizations and the Southern Nevada Water Authority raised objections to sites designated in Lincoln County including 49,775 acres in Dry Lake Valley North and 17,932 acres in Delamar Valley, near Highway 93 north of the Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge and 7,418 acres at East Mormon Mountain, north of Mesquite.

A Dry Lake site, near the Moapa Indian Reservation, is also proposed.

The Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club said water demand for solar plants in Amargosa Valley would threaten water resources downgradient, like Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Death Valley National Park.

"We strongly urge that only dry-cooled solar facilities be allowed on all Nevada sites, and mitigation directed at protecting water-based resources should be required," the Sierra Club letter said, signed by public lands Chairman Rose Strickland and energy committee Chairman Jane Feldman.

Solar projects in Amargosa Valley could use habitat of the threatened desert tortoise and the Amargosa toad, the Sierra Club said. In addition, the Miller's rest area is an oasis used by migratory birds that provides excellent bird-watching opportunities, a comment also made by the Nevada Wilderness Project.

The Nevada Wilderness Project said the desert horned lizard, desert iguana and long-nosed leopard lizard were also recorded in the Amargosa Valley solar energy study zone. The site however is outside a 25-mile buffer zone set by the Nevada State Water Engineer to protect the endangered Devil's Hole pupfish, though the orgnaization said there is still controversy over the biological meaning of that buffer.

The wilderness project advocates immediate steps to combat global climate change, of which renewable energy is key. But mitigation must occur to offset the damage to Nevada's wildlife habitats, the group said.

Nevada Division of Wildlife Supervisory Habitat Biologist D. Brad Hardenbrook wrote his agency is supportive of requirements that renewable energy provide 20 percent of Nevada's energy by 2015. But he wrote the majority of proposed solar development is in areas with the richest biodiversity in the state.

NDOW called for maintaining crucial movement corridors for wildlife and monitoring isolated populations.

"Two aspects of solar energy development associated with utility-scale facilities interest NDOW: The sheer size of individual solar developments and the large amount of fresh water required to operate most thermal solar designs," Hardenbrook wrote.

Large-scale land grading may create dust and erosion, NDOW said. Even if that doesn't occur, full effects of the changes to the quality of the remaining, fragmented habitat may not be apparant for years. The EIS should also consider decommissioning the projects when they are obsolete and returning the land to its prior condition, NDOW said.

Hardenbrook wrote Nevada is the driest state with many hydrologic basins overallocated for water.

"Scarce water reserves and the supply needed for thermal solar developments may ramify significant impacts to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife," NDOW said. "Where acquisition of a freshwater supply would be logistically problematic and involve significant water extraction and treatment for thermal-based, wet solar developments, the PEIS should consider limiting such an area to dry solar technology."

Open ponds are an invitation to waterfowl, NDOW said, adding the processing could concentrate heavy metals in the soil.

Kevin Emmerich, representing Basin and Range Watch, said the BLM needs to consider the consequences of freeing up so much public land for one use. The EIS needs to consider degradation of water resources; visual impacts; wildlife concerns including threatened and endangered species; cultural sites including Native American values; impacts to private property and limiting access to public lands.

Emmerich listed numerous rare plants and animals, including the hoary bat, which he said has been observed in Oasis Valley, just north of Beatty.

Michael Oettinger, of Amargosa Valley, said the application for a right-of-way for the Solar Millenium power plants -- which isn't located in the solar energy zone -- should be withdrawn and added that it's in conflict with the Amargosa Valley area plan. He also referred to the explosion of a parabolic solar plant near Daggett, Calif., in 1999. "If in this siting a fire and explosion occurred, how many elementary school children will be dead? How many senior citizens while eating at the center? How many in church or in their bed who live in the subdivision directly next to this potential catastrophy?" Oettinger wrote.

He also raised concerns about water and traffic on Highway 373. Oettinger also was afraid of the extra ultraviolet radiation. He suggested moving the Solar MIllenium project five miles north of Farm Road.

Esmeralda County commissioners requested solar development be restricted to dry photovoltaic panels and added to other comments about the bird-watching potential of the Miller rest area.

While solar projects at the Miller's site would benefit Tonopah, the nearest community, Esmeralda County commissioners said they would have to pay for public safety, road maintenance and emergency services.

The Gold Point solar energy zone is in the Lida Valley water basin with an annual yield of only 350 acre-feet of water, Esmeralda County Commissioner Nancy Boland said. Valley Electric Association power lines end at Gold Point and are barely adequate to serve those 20 residents, Boland said.

Esmeralda County officials suggested combining solar energy zones with areas that have known geothermal resources yet to be explored.