Feinstein blocks solar projects in desert; RFK Jr. and other environmentalists disagree

[garybeck]

AMBOY, Calif. — Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation in Congress on Monday to protect a million acres of the Mojave Desert in California by scuttling some 13 big solar plants and wind farms planned for the region.

Her intervention in the Mojave means it will be more difficult for California utilities to achieve a goal, set by the state, of obtaining a third of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020; projects in the monument area could have supplied a substantial portion of that power.

“This is arguably the best solar land in the world, and Senator Feinstein shouldn’t be allowed to take this land off the table without a proper and scientific environmental review,” said Robert Kennedy Jr.

more: http://solarbus.org/blog

[SoCalDem]

1. Maybe DiFi hasn't yet figured out a way to make money on it n/t

[EFerrari]

3. Maybe her defense contractor buds have plans for that acreage

or maybe her husband does.

[kenfrequed]

8. Yes

Besides she hates "entitlement programs" that actually benefit people. How the hell did she ever get to this office anyhow? If only Moscone had not been assassinated we might not be troubled by this worthless conservative leaning tool.

[EFerrari]

10. She cast herself as the grieving mother of San Francisco.

I haven't voted for that person for years.

[KamaAina]

2. Not to worry. Ahh-nuld gutted the provision to require a percentage of that to come from CA

he called it "protectionist".

So now we can import green energy from other states, across transmission lines controlled by Enron-like conglomerates, instead of dirty energy. Woo-hoo! :sarcasm: Bear in mind it was Enron, the rolling brownouts, etc. that helped propel him into office in the first place. :eyes:

[Cleita]

4. In a way, I agree with her and I seldom agree with DiFi.

With the amount of dense housing we have throughout California, all we need to do is put solar panels up on everyone's roof with a reverse meters especially in southern California that gets as much sun as the desert and where it seldom rains. You wouldn't have to disturb the pristine environment of that part of the desert. I can understand why easterners like Robert Kennedy, Jr. look out our desert and see a vast wasteland, but it really has a diverse but delicate ecosystem. I would definitely want a proper and scientific environmental review before anything is built there.

[mitchtv]

9. I live near there, at first I loved the idea

now I think some sort of compromise could be helpful. lots of unemployed here with high summer utility bills.

[joeybee12]

12. Yeah, I hate to admit DiFi is right on this one...

it's protected because you don't want development spoiling the natural beauty, no matter what the development is.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. How's that Cape Cod wind farm coming along?

[SOCALS]

6. Can they make California have those solar

panels installed in the desert? We will never become green if senators keep being so selfish

[Zenlitened]

7. Stories like this make me put my tinfoil hat on.

Solar, wind... these green energy projects will only work if we bulldoze wilderness, disrupt fishing grounds, etc.

Thus pitting environmentalist against environmentalist.

Just a coincidence? :tinfoilhat:

But but but... "these are the BEST places to site the projects!" we are told.

Well, okay, but... where's the SECOND BEST place? Or the third?

Why do we never have that conversation, to weigh the pros and cons, consider trade-offs in efficiency vs. impact, etc.?

:shrug:

[hunter]

11. Good. In this case Robert Kennedy Jr. can pound rocks.

Solar and wind advocates don't get it, but they are helping pave the way for greater imports of coal generated electricity into California.

The power companies are putting huge amounts of money and effort into opening corridors to states with less restrictive policies towards coal development. There is no way in hell the power companies are so very interested in solar or wind development except as a means of acquiring transmission easements.

The desert is a fragile place, and I am a fierce NIMBY in this regard.

I'm quite certain Dianne Feinstein is batting for natural gas and petroleum interests, since coal power would displace more expensive natural gas, but if protecting the desert thwarts east-west electric power transmission development, I'm on that side.