The Aratina Solar Project is proposed for a portion of undisturbed Mojave Desert in Kern County near the town of Boron. The land is mostly undisturbed Joshua Tree woodland, and its destruction for this project has numerous serious consequences for the ecology of the area and also would remove carbon-sequestering soil. MBCA's letter outlines the consequences and asks the Kern County Board of Supervisors not to approve the project.
One lovely grey-leaved shrub for Morongo Basin landscapes is the California native Desert Lavender (Hyptis emoryi). This fast-growing shrub (given a small amount of irrigation) is a delicate, multi-trunk contrast in the garden to the broad leaves of agaves or the green of the creosote bush.
San Bernardino County now provides an online Short Term Rental Map for viewing permitted short-term rentals (STRs) in unincorporated areas of the County. While permitted and well-managed STRs provide income for local residents and businesses, the effects on quality of life due to the escalating number of such properties that are unpermitted and/or not well-managed have been increasing.
Photo courtesy of the US Department of the Interior
The proposed Oberon Solar Project, to be located on undisturbed BLM land near Desert Center, has drawn a great deal of concern by numerous groups in addition to MCBA. While in a Development Focus Area (DFA) proposed under California's Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, the proponents are asking for amendments that contradict the Plan’s underlying rationale. In short, as MBCA’s Pat Flanagan writes in the MBCA letter, “It is not the role of the DRECP to bend to accommodate a project proposal. It is the project proponent’s role to accommodate the DRECP.”
The San Bernardino County Planning Commission unanimously approved the new Light Trespass Ordinance at their September 9 meeting. It will be forwarded to the Supervisors for their vote in the near future. Following its approval, compliance will be required in 18 months for businesses and 24 months for residents. The approved version is contained in pages 4-15 of the Staff Report; the existing Glare and Outdoor Lighting Ordinance is on pages 17-25.
In reference to the County staff's workshop presentation to the Planning Commission on September 9, MBCA has submitted a letter that outlines our concerns with the current severe problem of affordable housing in the Morongo Basin, with pointed suggestions about the state-required updating of the Housing Element of the Countywide Plan that triggered the Workshop. Thanks to Director Janet Johnston for extensive research in composing the letter. We will again report and comment on the County's Draft Housing Element which is expected later this year.
Texas Rangers are a welcome respite during the dog days of summer. Referred to as barometer plants, Rangers blooms occur with high humidity and rain. When this happens, the plants are covered with purple or magenta flowers.
Photos by Stacy Doolittle
A native of the Chihuahuan Desert and other locales in Texas, Leucophyllum frutescens is a powerhouse of a shrub for Morongo Basin gardens. When young, hungry rabbits can find this sage appealing, so cage it in hardware cloth for protection. Once mature, it is ignored by foragers. Here is a handy guide (pdf) to the different varieties, which you can buy at big box stores and local nurseries.
Following a meeting with scientists from the California Air Resources Board, MBCA and twelve other organizations submitted a letter to the Board demonstrating the need for greater consideration of desert carbon sequestration in planning for climate change. The letter includes reference to scientific studies, a summary paper about “Carbon Dynamics for the California Desert,” and a two-page Science Brief about conserving carbon in California’s deserts.
Western Joshua Tree Endangered Listing Decision Delayed
In an outcome not entirely unexpected, the California Fish and Game Commission today chose to delay the decision on whether listing the Western Joshua tree as an endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act is warranted. Today's meeting focused on additional tribal input, which will continue, while general public comment is closed. Much of the concern comes with how the restrictions will be implemented as relates to development, and...
As reported on local radio station KCDZ, the RoBott Land Company replied in writing to questions asked at a recent Homestead Valley Community meeting with a 17-page document. Their detailed replies are to a great extent based on the acceptance and approval of San Bernardino County in their application process and their belief that the growth in visitors to Joshua Tree National Park supports their project.
Changes to the proposed Sienna Solar project in Lucerne Valley triggered a new scoping comment letter from MBCA about Sienna Solar 2. The proposed site has expanded and poses a wide range of potential harms to quality of life and the desert ecosystem. In a community designated as Severely Disadvantaged, Lucerne Valley residents will be subjected to dust, degraded views, and excessive lighting. Environmental problems likely to arise include degraded...
MBCA and 7 other conservation groups have requested a pause in the Golden Currant Solar project variance review until a revised Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan is completed to replace the 1997 version. The 25-year old plan predates many changes in desert management, including updated desert tortoise status, water availability, visual resource and habitat conservation plans, plus water availability, public land access, tribal consultation and many more concerns....
