The Solargen Energy 399-megawatt solar farm in Panoche Valley is
ready to move forward. A unanimous decision by the board of
supervisors Wednesday denied the appeal of the planning
commission’s Oct. 20 use-permit decision requested by seven
environmental groups on the basis that the planning commission
erred in its call. In the afternoon, the board unanimously approved
the development agreement between the county and Solargen.
The Solargen Energy 399-megawatt solar farm in Panoche Valley is ready to move forward.
A unanimous decision by the board of supervisors Wednesday denied the appeal of the planning commission’s Oct. 20 use-permit decision requested by seven environmental groups on the basis that the planning commission erred in its call. In the afternoon, the board unanimously approved the development agreement between the county and Solargen.
The originally proposed 420-megawatt solar facility in 4,885 acres of the Panoche Valley has shrunk to 399 megawatts but also expanded to include nearly 10,899 acres of mitigation land. Solargen Chief Executive Officer Michael Peterson has said that the project would bring a large number of construction jobs and up to 50 full-time jobs once completed.
The board believed that the project’s benefits outweighed the possible detriments.
“We need more jobs, and for some people 50 isn’t a lot, Supervisor Anthony Botelho said.
He went on: “But without question it is needed right now.”
Every supervisor agreed with the planning commission decision asserting the board didn’t make a mistake when it awarded the project its use permit.
“The planning commission did not err,” Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz said.
The project is necessary for the county’s future, Supervisor Margie Barrios said.
“We have to be visionaries – we have to create a future for generations to come,” she said.
The board’s support of the planning commission decision allows the project to move toward construction, as the board has no more Solargen decisions to make after Wednesday. The board’s decision to approve the development agreement was the last decision the board will make in regards to the Solargen project.
The project has seen opposition from local and statewide environment groups throughout the process of the draft and final environmental impact reports. The groups believed that the solar farm would destroy the farms in the area and kill off endangered species.
Members of environmental groups Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, Save Panoche Valley, Sierra Club’s Loma Prieta Chapter and national office, Monterey Audubon Society, Center for Biological Diversity and Freson Audubon Society were present at the meeting to speak out against the project.
Kim Williams from Save Panoche Valley said the project would harm farms and livestock in the area by tossing dust into the air and creating a noise disturbance. The noise would cause the animals stress and force them to eat more.
“Animals could adapt to the change, but it would create a high stress level,” Williams said.
She also warned of desertification because of the excess dust in the air.
Shani Kleinhaus of the Santa Clara Audubon Society said the county would lose bird watchers and money coming to the area.
“People come from all over the world to come here,” she said. “This is their livelihood – they come here to spend money.”
Kevin Davis asked for more details on the type of jobs that would be created for the project.
“What are 50 people going to do on this project?” he said. “We need to identify these jobs.”
Supporters of the project praised the additional jobs and the economic growth the project could spur within the county. Supporters included Sheriff Curtis Hill and members of the business community.
Peterson emphasized that there will be around 50 jobs total.
“There will be jobs for security, and from electrical to maintenance type of work,” Peterson said. “Other projects similar to ours validate those numbers.”
