Fighting the Mojave Desert Land Grab

[Roger]

I don't know man. Any more verbal sparring with Sarah in Off-Topic and I think she's gonna give me the smackdown!

We all want to watch!

[LoveMy95YJ]

This is totally awesome and you are to be commended for your passion to get involved in protecting OUR land, but please, please, please be very careful about what you say and how you act with this reporter. Do a background check on her (as much as you can) to determine her views on the environment, land use, etc...About 20 years ago Senator Dianne Feinstein courted the off-road community, taking donations and telling us she was on our side, then guess how she voted when the time came? It certainly wasn't in our favor, in fact we lost a HUGE chunk of OUR land to bills she voted in favor of. Boy were we ripped! Think about that the next time she comes up for election. She is no friend to the off-road community, nor is Senator Boxer.

I don't know about this particular reporter and paper but the press is so liberal chances are that she'll twist and turn everything you guys do and say to present us in a very negative way. Sorry to be so pessimistic...please, just do some homework on her if you haven't already.

As a friend of mine says, "Just my .02 worth."

[Roger]

Email to First District Supervisor

Okay, I can't concentrate on all the battle fronts, so please, will some of you take up other fronts and get busy fighting these? I am going to concentrate on two: The solar panel project at LV dry lake and Johnson Valley.

I have sent the following to SB county First District Supervisor and the Editor of the LV Paper. I am going to send a version also to the BLM when I locate the contact information for this project.

Here it is:

Dear Supervisor Mitzelfelt,

I am a 26 year resident and property owner of Lucerne Valley and I am very concerned about the above referenced project. I am also concerned about the Granite Mountain Wind Generator Project, the LADWP Project, and the USMC studying the expansion into Johnson Valley. These projects individually as well as cumulatively will have a significant impact on our quality of life here in Lucerne Valley.

This email to you specifically addresses my concerns regarding the Solar Panel Project. As you know, the proposal is for 2000 panels measuring 500' wide x 300' high! My concerns are these:

1. Lucerne Dry Lake’s ground is very unstable from the excessive water that was pumped out from the alfalfa farming in years past. Can foundations for such large structures be designed for such an unstable area? I recommend that the County require an extensive geological study performed by a third party firm not selected by the Developer, but paid for by them.
2. The Helendale Fault and the Lucerne Lake Fault run through the proposed site. The California Earthquake Data Center Gives the Helendale Fault at potential EQ magnitude of 6.5 - 7.3. Will this potential be included in the design of the structures?
3. The winds through this part of the Mojave Desert can reach 100 Mph. Will the design of these large solar panel structures take that into consideration? This documented speed far exceeds Building Code requirements.
4. When it rains, the water sits on the lake and because of the soil type; it is virtually impassable when wet. How will fire, law enforcement, and maintenance personnel access the site when wet?
5. The Mojave Desert dry lakes are home to the Brine Shrimp. How will this project impact their habitat?
6. All of the energy produced by the sun hitting the panels will not be absorbed. Has a study been done to determine if the reflection of the sun’s energy will raise the temperature in the vicinity of the project site, and how large of an area will be affected?
7. The immense size and number of these solar panels will forever change the scenic views in the area, has any consideration been given to the impact this will have?

I'm sure there are many other issues being raised besides the ones I have listed here.

I want to thank you for the concerns you have raised and it would be my hope that you will continue to fight for the best interests of your constituents. If there is anyway I can assist you, including being on a citizen panel, I would most gladly volunteer.

Sincerely,

Roger Peterson
Lucerne Valley, CA
(760) XXX-XXXX


Okay, who will you write to today??

[Roger]

This is totally awesome and you are to be commended for your passion to get involved in protecting OUR land, but please, please, please be very careful about what you say and how you act with this reporter. Do a background check on her (as much as you can) to determine her views on the environment, land use, etc...About 20 years ago Senator Dianne Feinstein courted the off-road community, taking donations and telling us she was on our side, then guess how she voted when the time came? It certainly wasn't in our favor, in fact we lost a HUGE chunk of OUR land to bills she voted in favor of. Boy were we ripped! Think about that the next time she comes up for election. She is no friend to the off-road community, nor is Senator Boxer.

I don't know about this particular reporter and paper but the press is so liberal chances are that she'll twist and turn everything you guys do and say to present us in a very negative way. Sorry to be so pessimistic...please, just do some homework on her if you haven't already.

As a friend of mine says, "Just my .02 worth."

Nick,

Thank you for the post. I understand exactly what you mean. This is a tricky issue. Big Business, developers, & speculaters are supporting these kinds of projects. Environmentalists support these projects in concept also. If and when they figure out the damage on the environment these projects will cause, they won't know what position to take!

FYI - the Local paper is owned by the same company that owns the OC Register, they are conservative/libratarian. The reporter going along with us does not know the area and wants to see first hand what is at stake. When I talked to her about going, I assured her that my interest was to show her the areas and the concerns we have and she could come to her own conclusions.

Thanks for your :2: !!