Borrego Sun - Since 1949

With the hearing for the plan to reduce carbon, called the Regional Decarbonization Framework to be brought before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (BOS) being rescheduled to May 24, it is time to continue taking action.

The Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) – that targets unincorporated communities to meet aggressive, zero Greenhouse Gas emission goals by 2035, by requiring our rural communities to provide renewable Solar for San Diego’s coastal communities, is a danger to our community. Borrego Springs is targeted under this plan for large, industrial scale Solar plants.

Water: Solar Plants require significant amounts of water during construction. Water is also needed to bind dirt under the panels and on easement roads, and to clean the panels quarterly. The Borrego Basin is a critically over-drafted aquifer. Water would have to be trucked in through the life of the project 30 – 35 years.

Air: During construction and failure to keep exposed soil packed around the project by water throughout the life of the project will increase air pollution and impact air quality. This will be detrimental to health, creating and impacting respiratory diseases.

Traffic: During construction there will be an increase in traffic, particularly trucks hauling materials, water, and removing dirt. Trucks will continue to service the project throughout its life. Accidents will increase on roads through the mountains not built for trucks.

Wildflowers and wildlife: Clearing thousands of acres will destroy areas where wildflowers germinate and bloom, removal of shade trees, habit of wildlife, including nesting and feeding grounds.

Climate Change: Borrego winters are changing with more rain and cloud cover and the summer months are experiencing periods of extreme heat. Both decrease the efficiency of Solar panels

Land/Environment: The famous Borrego desert wilderness and eco-systems will be changed by miles of Solar panels, impacting tourism, land values and the Borrego Economy.

SDG&E Transmission line: A $3.9 billion large transmission line will be built through areas of preserved Desert Parkland to transfer the power to coastal communities. Customers will pay for this: And the SDG&E investors will profit.

Borrego Springs Supports Solar on roof tops in the Coastal area not destructive and expensive large-scale plants in our community.Speak up on or before May 24. Join your neighbors in opposing this plan by signing a petition: https://www.change.org/p/tell-the-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors-no-that-borrego-springs-will-not-be-sacrif?recruite

Take Action Today!

Sign the petition. Goal – 1,000 signatures before the county BOS meeting on May 24.

Send a letter (email or hard copy) to ALL of the County Supervisors saying NO to the current draft of the RDF and NO to turning Borrego Springs into an industrial Solar wasteland and delay any action on the plan until the Technical Report is updated by independent consultants, and, until ALL true and accurate costs are included in the calculations for determining the fastest and least expensive pathway for regional decarbonization. BOS Contact info: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/general/bos.html

Attend the BOS meeting on May 24, and speak up! You can also leave comments a few days prior on the agenda item, here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/bos/ecomment.html

Make a comment by phone during the Board meeting, submit an online request to speak to receive the call-in instructions.

Read more about the San Diego ClimatePlan: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/sustainability/climateactionplan.html