The Trump administration has cancelled plans for a massive solar power project in Nevada that could have powered nearly 2 million homes. The project, called Esmeralda 7, was expected to be one of the largest solar developments in the world.
According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the project’s environmental review has been officially marked as “cancelled.” The plan covered about 185 square miles, almost the size of Las Vegas, and involved major renewable energy companies like NextEra Energy Resources, Leeward Renewable Energy, Arevia Power, and Invenergy. Together, their combined projects would have generated 6.2 gigawatts of clean energy.
A spokesperson from the Interior Department said developers can now choose to submit individual proposals instead of one large project, allowing the BLM to study the environmental impact more effectively.
The Esmeralda 7 project was initially approved under Joe Biden’s administration and continued to move forward even after Donald Trump returned to office. However, progress stopped when the BLM failed to release the final environmental report needed for construction to begin.
In January, Trump signed an executive order pausing new renewable energy approvals on federal land and water. Later, he appointed Kathleen Sgamma, an oil industry advocate, to lead the BLM. He also gave Interior Secretary Doug Burgum final authority over renewable energy decisions.
In August, Trump declared on Truth Social that his administration would no longer approve new wind or solar projects, saying, “The days of stupidity are over in the USA!”
This cancellation is seen as another major setback for America’s renewable energy goals, potentially slowing down progress toward clean energy development.
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