Why can't we implement responsible solar?

[ripcord]

The 5,032 acre Yellow Pine Solar Project bordering Pahrump, Nevada will destroy 92,930 Mojave yuccas.

An estimated 53 highly threatened desert tortoises will also be displaced.

The Bureau of Land Management has calculated that there are 30 Mojave yuccas (Yucca schidigera) per acre on the proposed 5,032 acre Yellow Pine Solar Project located on public lands in the Mojave Desert in Southern Nevada. In total, BLM will allow Nextera Energy to destroy 92,930 Mojave yuccas, many of which are hundreds of years old.

There are too many to transplant, so the plants will be shredded to the ground by heavy duty mulchers. Cacti and yucca are supposed to be protected on BLM lands and are classified as "forest products".

Remember desert habitat needs to be protected also.

[Newest Reality]

1. Cough...

cough...oil...gas...Koch...gasp...cough. Ahem. Exxonerated! Bee pee!

[ripcord]

4. It isn't Koch and the oil companies

It is California, Nevada and the Federal government letting solar providers place their projects where is most convenient. Another thing that is convenient is that the comment period has already started during the stay in place, this is the place where the states should protest but usually choose not to.

[Newest Reality]

5. Yes.

There is a deeper connection there. Vested interests have the priority in decision making.

I won't go into details, but if you look it up, maybe use Kochtapus as a search word, you will see how convoluted the whole thing is and how much the Koch Brothers have influenced our politics via ALEC for many years. That's only one aspect of it.

There may be a shift by the oil and gas giants, (that's documented) into alternatives in the future, but it will be on their terms and by their timelines. They plan to keep a hold on the power and profits of the industry.

At least, that's what I know about it. It's a power deeply ingrained power structure.

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Interesting,

have been prospecting that general area for about nine years. All the Desert Plant life is under acute stress because of one thing. Water water water water. Our shared Claim nine years ago which is in the same Geologic Formation as the purposed Solar farm,had a flowing Creek usually four to five months a year,and historically,that same Stream flowed year around until twenty years ago when Irrigation of Hay Fields and a Mega Dairy popped up in the Armagossa Valley.

Our share Claim has lost almost 99% of the Yucca's and Cactus. Only thing left is Cholla and Varnish Bush. Even the few remaining Jauhua's are on their last legs. Again,it is all about the loss of Ground Water. BTW,even if the Yucca's are scrapped off,they will return within a few years. We find seeds as deep as six feet in some of our dig sites. Nature is one fantastic thing. It is always planning for the future.

In Canada,their Solar Farms are used as Pasture land for Sheep and Goats. Same for Australia and New Zealand.

[msongs]

2. solar on every roof top NOT solar farms in the deserts nt

[librechik]

3. in short the strangling grip of BIG Oil keeps solar not viable.

that is all.