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From the Office of
Brad Mitzelfelt
Supervisor, First District
San Bernardino County For information, contact
David Zook (909) 387-4830
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE www.sbcounty.gov/mitzelfelt
May 30, 2008
Mitzelfelt Supports Overview of Solar Energy Projects
SAN BERNARDINO With dozens of solar energy projects that would cover hundreds of square
miles proposed for the Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt
expressed relief that the Federal Government is going to look at the potential impacts of solar energy
development in the West.
In the rush toward development of alternative energy, the impacts on our public lands have been
overlooked by policymakers in Washington, D.C., who tend to view our precious desert as a
wasteland ripe for exploitation. This review will give us a chance to look at the total effect of all these
projects and make some decisions about where they are appropriate and where they should be
restricted, said Mitzelfelt, whose district includes much of the Mojave Desert.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Energy announced this week they will
prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on solar energy development on BLM land
in six Western states. A Programmatic EIS takes a broad look at the total environmental effects
across a huge area.
Most encouraging to Mitzelfelt is the moratorium on new applications for solar projects. The 125
existing applications that could cover 1 million acres, or more than 1,500 square miles, will continue
to be processed.
I do remain concerned about projects already in the pipeline that will continue to be processed,
added Mitzelfelt.
At a time when the desert has become smaller because of urban growth, set-asides for habitat and
wilderness, and expansion of military bases, we cannot surrender huge areas of public land without a
serious discussion about which resources we can sacrifice and which need to be protected, said
Mitzelfelt.
The environmental review will not cover wind energy. A similar document on wind was completed in
2006 but did not address California issues in detail.
Stay awake!
Best,Max7
From the Office of
Brad Mitzelfelt
Supervisor, First District
San Bernardino County For information, contact
David Zook (909) 387-4830
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE www.sbcounty.gov/mitzelfelt
May 30, 2008
Mitzelfelt Supports Overview of Solar Energy Projects
SAN BERNARDINO With dozens of solar energy projects that would cover hundreds of square
miles proposed for the Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt
expressed relief that the Federal Government is going to look at the potential impacts of solar energy
development in the West.
In the rush toward development of alternative energy, the impacts on our public lands have been
overlooked by policymakers in Washington, D.C., who tend to view our precious desert as a
wasteland ripe for exploitation. This review will give us a chance to look at the total effect of all these
projects and make some decisions about where they are appropriate and where they should be
restricted, said Mitzelfelt, whose district includes much of the Mojave Desert.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Energy announced this week they will
prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on solar energy development on BLM land
in six Western states. A Programmatic EIS takes a broad look at the total environmental effects
across a huge area.
Most encouraging to Mitzelfelt is the moratorium on new applications for solar projects. The 125
existing applications that could cover 1 million acres, or more than 1,500 square miles, will continue
to be processed.
I do remain concerned about projects already in the pipeline that will continue to be processed,
added Mitzelfelt.
At a time when the desert has become smaller because of urban growth, set-asides for habitat and
wilderness, and expansion of military bases, we cannot surrender huge areas of public land without a
serious discussion about which resources we can sacrifice and which need to be protected, said
Mitzelfelt.
The environmental review will not cover wind energy. A similar document on wind was completed in
2006 but did not address California issues in detail.
Stay awake!
Best,Max7