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.

MBCA's letter to Governor Newsom outlines the growing environmental damage and safety issues accruing from the proliferation of illegal marijuana grows in the Mojave Desert and other rural areas of the state. Our request is for the Governor to convene a special session of the legislature to upgrade the current misdemeanor status in order to address the escalating problem.

From the weekly newsletter The Revelator, published by the Center for Biological Diversity, here is a list of recent news stories focused on the negative effects of light pollution. 

• Young Clownfish Likely to Die Faster When Exposed to Artificial Light, Study Finds
• Noise and Light Pollution Changes Which Species of Birds Visit Our Backyards
• Fireflies Need Dark Nights for Their Summer Light Shows – Here’s How You Can Help
• Turning Off Half of City Lights at Night Could Cut Bird Mortality By Up to 60 Percent
• Dark Sky Havens: Where Can I Find One?
• Orbital Debris Creates a New Problem: Light Pollution

A recently-published research project by UC Irvine scientists reviewed 34 years of satellite data to analyze vegetation changes in the Sonoran Desert and nearby southern California mountains. They found a "widespread decline in perennial vegetation cover," that is, a significant reduction in even the hardiest desert plants. Researcher Stijn Hantson commented that "They're (desert plants) already so badly beaten by drought or heat that they're at the brink of existence." Read more in the Desert Sun article or view the research study, which includes a "Plain Language Summary." 

The deadline for comments in support of the revised Light Trespass Ordinance for San Bernardino County is Friday, June 18. Send them to: [email protected]

We have revised our recent News item on this subject with new video footage. The presentation video (one hour) now includes post-presentation interaction of our presenters with the Commissioners, and we now have the full video of the meeting including timestamps for public comment via video from the Joshua Tree Government Center and for an oppositional presentation by a Newberry Springs resident. All these links and information are here.

MBCA's long-time Board member and science educator Pat Flanagan is part of a team of conservation advocates who have created detailed Science Briefs about carbon sequestration and biodiversity in the California desert. They will be used to educate lawmakers and state agency officials working on climate change and land use issues. Other writing team members were representatives of the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and Mojave Desert Land Trust.