Currently viewing the category: "California"

Assessing the Regulatory Landscape for Greater Sage-grouse

On January 17, 2012 By

The effort to list the Greater Sage-grouse via the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been an uphill battle.  However, even as the end-game has yet to be realized, the effort itself has been remarkably successful at prompting bureaucratic backflips and a whole lot of paper-shuffling to accommodate consideration of the species.  Unfortunately, many of the existing and developing [...]

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California energy company does right thing for birds and abandons plans for wind farm

On November 23, 2011 By

Pattern Energy Group will not build 2000 acre wind farm near Sacramento-

Plans for a 2000 acre (3 1/2 square mile) wind farm NW of Sacramento have been scrapped because of its probable bad effects on the local bird population.  The wind farm, which would capture enough energy for 100 megawatts of electricity had [...]

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The Campaign to Protect the Golden Trout Wilderness from Ranching

On November 9, 2011 By

In 1988, beer maker conglomerate Anheuser-Busch purchased the Cabin Bar Ranch in California’s Sierra Nevada to obtain water rights that would insure a backup water supply for the company’s Van Nuys brewery. Associated with the ranch were public lands permits to graze cattle within the Golden Trout Wilderness, home to California’s state [...]

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Developing the Carrizo Plain

On August 24, 2011 By

Another Solar Development, Another Lost Landscape ?

Chris Clarke gives a remarkable account of another landscape that has found its way into the cross-hairs of Solar Developers and Big Green, and of the locals’ abiding love for the land:

Solar Energy Development in the Carrizo Plain Draws Lawsuits – KCET – The Back Forty

[...]

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Ivanpah solar project would disturb thousands of desert tortoises

On April 29, 2011 By

The Ivanpah solar thermal project consists of 5.4 square miles of high quality habitat for the Endangered Species Act protected desert tortoise, a fact that developers (and some investors) underestimated resulting in the temporary suspension of activities on phases 2 and 3 of the project site due to construction activities exceeding the incidental [...]

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Google Invests $168 Million In Ivanpah Solar Thermal Plant

On April 12, 2011 By

Project already blading Mojave desert habitat

Google announces its private investment in Brightsource Energy, the proponent of the controversial Ivanpah Solar Thermal Project:

Google Solar Project: Google Invests $168 Million In Mojave Power Plant – Huffington Post

The commitment announced Monday is part of the financing that BrightSource Energy needs to build a solar [...]

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Quote

‎"At some point we must draw a line across the ground of our home and our being, drive a spear into the land and say to the bulldozers, earthmovers, government and corporations, “thus far and no further.” If we do not, we shall later feel, instead of pride, the regret of Thoreau, that good but overly-bookish man, who wrote, near the end of his life, “If I repent of anything it is likely to be my good behaviour."

~ Edward Abbey