JOSHUA TREE DEMONSTRATION AGAINST COMMERCIAL SOLAR

On Saturday, more than 50 demonstrators showed up in front of the County Building in Joshua Tree. They carried signs with messages like, “No Big Solar,” “Why Not Rooftops?” and “Not in Neighborhoods,” and they waved as passing motorists honked in support. Organized by a cross section of local organizations, the protest aimed to send the message to the County Board of Supervisors that people here support rooftop solar systems on homes and businesses, but strongly oppose big solar fields and the problems that come with them such as the loss of pristine desert, the drag on nearby property values, and high costs associated with the power they produce. In December, Supervisors approved an ordinance with 31 conditions developers must satisfy before a project is approved. Already though, developers have attempted to skirt requirements. Such attempts are keeping local watchdogs on high alert.