Siting energy facilities in the USA

Because of their rich and abundant reserve base, the western states of the USA are currently the focus of a major national effort to increase domestic energy production. A number of important problems, however, have arisen in siting the energy facilities which are needed to convert the region's energy resources into end-use fuels or electricity. Many of these siting problems are unique to the region and must be addressed if plans to exploit the energy resources of the western states are to be realized. Careful planning may assist in the siting process and reduce the undesirable impacts of energy conversion plants.