California's best kept secret getting out as support for desert renewables increases
July 10, 2015 | By
Jaclyn Brandt
A new plan to bring cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies to increase renewable energy is a hit among residents -- at least those who know about it. "The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) is a comprehensive effort to plan for renewable energy and land and wildlife conservation in California's desert," according to the Pew Charitable Trust.
The plan covers 22.5 million acres of land -- including private, state, and federals land -- in seven California Counties. DRECP is a collaboration between the California Energy Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The DRECP will result in an efficient and effective biological mitigation and conservation program providing renewable project developers with permit timing and cost certainty under the federal and California Endangered Species Acts while at the same time preserving, restoring and enhancing natural communities and related ecosystems," DRECP said on their website. According to Pew Charitable Trusts, who released a poll on public opinion of the plan, the program identified places most appropriate for developing renewable energy over the next 25 years -- as well as areas where wildlife should be protected. The poll found that 67 percent of those who had heard of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) approved of it -- however, only 24 percent had actually heard of it. When those who were not aware of the plan were made aware, the approval rating climbed to 74 percent. Fifteen percent of those who had heard of the DRECP opposed it. "Support is fueled by voters' strong desire for increased use of wind and solar power, and the high priority they place on conservation of desert land for its natural, historical, and cultural values," the poll explained. "Additionally, the data show that voters oppose allowing mining on DRECP lands by a margin of two to one, and clearly prefer siting solar and wind projects on already-disturbed land rather than desert in its natural state." Of those polled, 80 percent of Democrats support the plan, 76 percent of Independents support the plan, and 71 percent of Republicans support it -- including 60 percent of Conservatives. Sixty percent of those polled would prefer siting for renewable project occur on already-disturbed lands, especially those not suitable for agriculture. Twenty-four percent were okay with siting solar and wind projects on desert lands in its natural state. "The poll verifies that desert residents support and want balanced renewable energy planning for California's deserts, " Ileene Anderson, senior scientist for the Center for Biological Diversity, told FierceEnergy. "Well thought-out planning will benefit not only desert residents but utilities and energy developers by laying out a game plan for development and conservation that is clear to all involved." Residents are not the only ones who are offering support for the DRECP. In February, California utilities Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Sempra Energy Utilities (San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Gas Company), and Southern California Edison sent a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) showing their support for the plan -- as long as their concerns are heard. "The utilities strongly support the DRECP's stated goals to provide a landscape level approach to development of renewable energy and associated electrical transmission facilities in California's Mojave and Colorado/Sonoran desert regions, while ensuring effective protection and conservation of the desert's natural resources," the letter said, before adding comments and suggestions for the plan. Those suggestions included:
"The utilities recommend incorporation of a policy statement that the goals, polices, and measures do not apply to the operation, maintenance, and reconstruction of existing utility infrastructure placed into service prior to DRECP creation," the letter said. "While it is clear that DRECP is designed for new energy development, subsequent amendments to land use plans of the BLM, FWS, and CDFW are likely to be required to ensure consistency with DRECP. It is important that these plans not require DRECP measures to be imposed on existing utility infrastructure." For more:
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