Peaceful Protest Planned for Imperial Valley Solar Project

Citizens supporting the Quechan Tribe's lawsuit against the Imperial Valley Solar power project are planning to hold a peaceful and educational protest against the project today and tomorrow (14 and 15 November).  The Imperial Valley Solar project will be built by Tessera Solar LLC on public land that contains many artifacts and sites of cultural significance to the Quechan Tribe.  The Tribe is suing the Department of the Interior for approving the project as part of the "fast track" process for solar energy projects because the Department failed to conduct a thorough review of the cultural significance of the site, and ignored Quechan Tribe requests for such a survey.  You can read more on a previous post on the Imperial project.

The Imperial Valley Solar project will consume over 10 square miles of Colorado Desert habitat near the town of Imperial, California.  The site also contains habitat for the threatened Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard and foraging habitat for the Peninsula Bighorn Sheep.  The projects owner, Tessera Solar LLC, is also responsible for a 7 square mile facility on prime desert tortoise habitat near the Mojave National Preserve.

If you wish to participate or visit the protest site to learn more about the harmful Imperial project, here are directions:

Starting late afternoon Sunday November 14th,  we will be gathered on the western boundary of the Imperial Solar Two site, south side of Old Highway 80 ( Evan Hewes Highway) , 4.1 miles east of Imperial Highway in Ocotillo immediately across from the marked road to Painted Gorge.  The large sign for the Plaster City OHV Open Area is directly north of our site. 
  • From Interstate 8 East, take Exit 89, "Ocotillo/Desert Parks".  Turn left from the off-ramp and go under the freeway. Take the first right on Old Highway 80.
  • From Interstate 8 West, take Exit 89, and turn right from the off-ramp, take the first right and go 4.1 miles.

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