Authorities say construction can resume on a massive Southern California solar energy project after wildlife officials determined it will not jeopardize the threatened desert tortoise.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management says in a statement Friday that it approved the next phase of construction on the San Bernardino County project.

In April, federal officials ordered BrightSource Energy Co. to halt construction on two-thirds of the project after a federal assessment showed that more than 3,000 desert tortoises would be disturbed, and up to 700 of the young turtles would be killed during construction.

The BLM says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced new stipulations for moving the tortoises, as well as new ways to protect them from predators and increased monitoring and fencing.