In response to Bill Corcoran, western director for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, Guest View: “Panoche Valley is wrong for solar project” I would offer the following: Mr. Corcoran neglected to inform readers that Save Panoche Valley, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the Sierra Club (collectively Save Panoche Valley) lost a legal appeal from a trial court’s order denying their petition for writ of mandate opposing the PV2 Energy Solar Project. Save Panoche Valley challenged San Benito County’s certification of an environmental impact report (EIR) regarding the proposed solar power development to which the Appellate Court disagreed.
Readers can view the Appellate Court decision here: http://blog.aklandlaw.com/uploads/file/Save%20Panoche%20Valley%20v_%20San%20Benito%20County.pdf
Mr. Corcoran correctly states that: “The energy landscape in California is rapidly changing. In just a few short years, new wind, solar and geothermal power plants have put the state on track to achieve 33 percent clean energy by 2020. Governor Jerry Brown recently announced a plan to derive 50 percent of our electricity from renewable energy by 2030.”
The Appellate Court agrees with Mr. Corcoran when it stated: “There is substantial evidence in the administrative record that the solar project proposed by Solargen would help further the state’s progress toward achieving its goal for increased renewable energy and reduced greenhouse emissions, as the proposed project would generate renewable energy for the state while providing jobs to local residents. The reason for the proposed project’s existence is to create a solar farm to generate renewable energy.”
The Sierra Club/Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society/Save Panoche Valley legal challenges that the Panoche Valley Solar project would harm sensitive species were not supported by the facts and mitigation efforts offered by the developer and approved by the board of supervisors. The final analysis of the 34-page Appellate Court summary concluded the following: “We find no merit to this claim.”
San Benito County can and should support utility-scale solar projects that create green jobs, improve the local economy, and generate new tax revenue and renewable energy resources. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect, utopian world without environmental impacts from the development of solar power plants. But we can recognize and support efforts to improve the energy landscape in California and encourage investments in these enterprises in order to create jobs and improve economic development balanced with responsible environmental stewardship.
In closing, Mr. Corcoran was correct when he wrote: “Our state has a tremendous opportunity to continue our stewardship of our natural resources by insisting that our transition to a low-carbon world protects our lands, wildlife and water.” The court of law and public opinion agree and the proposed Panoche Valley Solar Project will meet those worthwhile ideals.
Michael Smith is a Hollister resident.
