Ecology & Environment Inc., Helps Advance 1st Large-Scale Solar Energy Projects on U.S. Public Lands

Ecology & Environment, Inc., announces its role in the approval of one of the first two large-scale solar energy plant projects to be constructed on public lands, approved last week by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

LANCASTER, N.Y., October 11, 2010 - Ecology and Environment, Inc., (E & E) (NASDAQ: EEI) announces its involvement in one of the first large-scale solar energy plant projects to be constructed on public lands, approved last week by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.


Specifically, E & E prepared the environmental impact statement (EIS) and California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) plan amendment for the Chevron Lucerne Valley solar project. Proposed by Chevron Energy Solutions, the project will employ an array of 40,500 photovoltaic solar panels on 422 acres of public land in California's San Bernardino County. The project is anticipated to produce up to 45 megawatts of energy, translating into a supply sufficient enough to power 13,500 to 33,750 homes. It is also expected to create 48 new jobs, generate $1 million in annual property tax revenue, and secure approximately $31 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). It is one of several Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fast-track projects linked to the Obama Administration's strategy to spur rapid, large-scale production of renewable energy on U.S. public lands.

"These projects are milestones in our focused effort to rapidly and responsibly capture renewable energy resources on public lands," Interior Secretary Salazar said in signing the final Records of Decision for the initiatives. The significance of the projects was echoed by BLM Director Bob Abbey. "With something as momentous as the introduction of large-scale solar development on the public lands, we have one chance to do things right," said Abbey. "That's why we did complete environmental analyses on both these projects with expanded opportunities for public participation." The Chevron Lucerne Valley project received unified support from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society.

"This approval represents a major step forward in our nation's movement toward large-scale energy production from renewable sources," said E & E president and CEO Kevin Neumaier. "The resulting benefits in economic stimulation, as well as reduced carbon emissions and dependence on foreign oil, will undoubtedly inspire similar projects, and we are proud to have played a role in making this happen."

E & E has 40 years of energy project experience and is a global leader in solar, wind and other renewable energy development. E & E has completed hundreds of renewable energy projects bringing thousands of megawatts of solar, wind, geothermal and ocean energy power to the grid through a collaborative, proactive approach to the permitting process that engages all project stakeholders.

E & E has completed more than 50,000 projects for a wide variety of clients in 96 countries, providing environmental solutions in nearly every ecosystem on the planet. The company is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol EEI, and is located on the web at www.ene.com.

-# # #-

Featured Product

Quickbase: The first application platform built for dynamic work

Quickbase: The first application platform built for dynamic work

By connecting everything through a single source of truth, the Quickbase platform helps businesses mitigate risk, reduce waste, and cut down on unexpected costs. With automated workflows and granular permissions, the right people will have access to the right information.