California Desert Projects

Protecting wildlands and wildlife habitat is a priority in the California desert, where ongoing projects support responsible renewable energy development.

The California desert is home to some of the Southwest’s wildest places. The Mojave Desert is studded with Joshua trees and wildlife, including the desert tortoise and kit fox. Finding a balance between renewable energy development and protections for the region’s wild lands is a challenge. The Wilderness Society worked with our conservation partners, the BLM and the project developer to limit impacts to wild lands and wildlife habitat and maximize clean energy benefits for both of these projects:

Imperial Valley Solar

This is a 709 megawatt project proposed by K-Road Power west of El Centro, California. It was approved by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in October 2010.

Lucerne Valley Solar

This solar project, is a 45 megawatt project proposed by Chevron Energy Solutions east of Victorville, California. It was approved by the BLM in October 2010.

 

  • A support letter for H.R. 908/S. 404, the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, introduced in February by Reps. DelBene and Larsen and Sens. Murray and Cantwell.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    On behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), I am writing to express our support of the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (H.R. 596). This landmark legislation would extend royalties and lease income from solar and wind projects developed on Federal lands to home states and counties.

  • Dear Representative Gosar:

    We are writing to express our support for sharing with states and counties renewable energy royalty revenues from federal lands. The language contained in the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (HR 596) which you have introduced in the House would enact such revenue sharing.