Owens Valley Zoning Changes

[markskor]

The Owens Valley can be defined, dryly, as a 100-mile long by 6-to-20-mile (~18 average) wide drop in the earth's crust between two large faults at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada and at the western base of the Inyo mountains. The valley reaches north to the Volcanic Tablelands and south past the Haiwee Reservoir.
The Ovens Valley thus comprises ~1800 square miles.

LADWP's Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch would occupy 1.875 square miles on Manzanar-Reward Road. That's immediately east of the site of the former Manzanar War Relocation Center, often referred to as a concentration camp, where 11,070 Americans of Japanese ancestry were forcibly interned during World War.

While disturbed/irked about the site chosen - (future solar site obscenely too close to Manzanar), still there is a lot of open land available esewhere in the OV - asking for only 0.1%.

Local jobs, solar energy...Dust abatement...A slippery slope?

Undecided...

[Rockchucker]

Local jobs? Nope like all major projects that will be outsourced. Project 395, all not from here. The hospital, again all contractors came from down south. I'm all for solar, but this benefits the valley not at all, all the power goes to energy hungry LA. 4000 square acres is a huge scar on the land, stripped of all vegetation. Why not put the solar on the millions of stripmall roofs? Why not put this in LA county? They have the land. I see zero benefit for the valley. It's the same joke they play on small communities everywhere.

[jessegooddog]

This zoning change is separate from DWP's plan for the solar "ranch" near Manzanar. Being a government entity, it seems they can do any project they like on their own property; they do not answer to Inyo County. They sent a PR guy to do a few "courtesy" meetings with residents; he was so out of touch he told us that rainwater in our high desert would clean the panels!
The Inyo Planning Department has implemented this zoning change to open our current open space and agricultural land to outside industrial interests for renewable energy.
Our new website http://www.deepestvalley.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is updated daily with new developments and meetings.

[rlown]

you have to push on EIR. that's it. or you're dead. If there is a kit fox or a lizard or tortoise, that is native and impacted, they have to mitigate. but, and a very big but.. they would say they can still move around and not be disturbed.

Good luck

[Rockchucker]

Thanks for posting the link, your a part of this?

[Vaca Russ]

you have to push on EIR. that's it. or you're dead. If there is a kit fox or a lizard or tortoise, that is native and impacted, they have to mitigate. but, and a very big but.. they would say they can still move around and not be disturbed.

Or they can spend the money to mitigate the damage that might impact the environment as was done by the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.

http://ivanpahsolar.com/desert-tortoise ... ar-project" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-Another Russ

[jessegooddog]

Press conference noon tomorrow April 1 on the steps of the Independence courthouse. 1:30 Board of Supervisors will vote on the next step. Expecting major "disruption" if they go ahead with the plan as suggested by the Zoning Commission.

[LMBSGV]

Here's hoping the press conference and Board meeting is not an April Fool's Day joke. Good luck!

[jessegooddog]

Much to our surprise, the plans and acreage have been scaled back quite a bit and wind turbines (often fatal to bats and birds, especially soaring raptors) have been taken off any plans in the county, at least for now. No final decision was made, we will be attending next Tuesday's meeting. The Planning Board and Supervisors actually listened to our comments, suggestions and outrages. The http://www.deepestvalley.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; should be updated with details shortly.

[jessegooddog]

"Final" decision this Tuesday, May 6, Board meeting next to Independence Courthouse, 1:30. Please come if you are in the area.