A project to install solar panels around the Mojave Desert has begun cutting down thousands of Joshua trees, despite widespread complaints from residents.
Los Angeles Times Several residents of Boron and Desert Lake are reportedly beginning to notice the benefits of the Alatina Solar Project, a government-approved scheme to produce clean energy through solar panels on 2,300 acres of land that is expected to produce 530 megawatts of renewable energy.
But nearby residents expressed concern not just about the loss of an iconic building, but also about environmental damage, with some warning of the threat of valley fever, a respiratory infection caused by excess dust from construction.
Native grasslands and Joshua trees mix together in the Mojave Desert landscape. (Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LA Times report warns of 'environmental dangers' in transitioning to solar power
“I don't want this to happen to any other town,” resident Roy Richards said.
Nurse Melanie Richardson said it was “painful to watch” the trees being cut down and organised a rally against the plans on Saturday.
“Nobody wants this to happen,” she said.
Joshua trees are normally protected species, and the project's developer, Avantas, received a waiver from California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's Fish and Wildlife Commission to cut them down in 2020.
Avantas said it was committed to preserving the environment and would cut down fewer trees than the government had previously approved, but that has failed to quell criticism because electricity from the solar panels will be sent to wealthy areas.
Avantas began cutting down the Joshua trees in June. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Petition A campaign against the project was launched earlier this summer and currently has more than 52,000 signatures.
“The ancient Joshua Tree is endangered and we must save it. The Alatina Solar Power Project in Boron, California has approved the destruction of approximately 4,000 ancient Joshua trees in this forest…These iconic trees have been there for centuries, providing habitat for many species and contributing to the unique biodiversity of the region,” the petition states.
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The solar panels are expected to generate about 530 megawatts of energy for the state. (Scholten Singer/Herald-Dispatch via The Associated Press, File)
“Joshua trees are already under threat from climate change and human activity,” the paper continued. “According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, if current trends continue, these trees could lose 90 percent of their habitat by the end of the century. Going forward with this project would accelerate the tree loss. We need sustainable energy solutions that don't sacrifice our irreplaceable natural treasures.”
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