BLYTHE (AP) — A major Southern California solar energy project could be delayed or even canceled following a deadly outbreak of distemper among kit foxes and the discovery of a prehistoric human settlement on the work site, according to a report Saturday.
The $1 billion Genesis Solar Energy Project near Blythe in the desert east of Los Angeles was on track to start producing power for some 187,500 homes starting in 2014.
But critics tell the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/wrtgOD ) the distemper outbreak and discovery of a possible Native American cremation site show that expedited procedures approved by state and federal regulators failed to protect wildlife and irreplaceable cultural resources. They say the problems could probably have been avoided by more rigorous research and planning.
The 250-megwatt plant was backed by an $825 million Department of Energy loan guarantee. Genesis had hoped to be among the first of a dozen approved solar farms to start operating in Southern California.
An official with Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources, the builder of Genesis, told the Times the problems threaten the entire project. If too many acres are deemed off-limits to construction, “the project could become uneconomical,” said Michael O’Sullivan, a NextEra senior vice president.
Native Americans, including the leaders of a nearby reservation, and environmentalists are trying to have Genesis delayed or even scuttled.
Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/california/ci_19951439
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