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A project to install solar panels around the Mojave Desert has begun cutting down thousands of Joshua trees, much to the residents’ chagrin.
The Los Angeles Times reported several citizens across Boron and Desert Lake have begun noticing effects from the Aratina Solar Project, a 2,300-acre government-approved plan to produce clean energy through solar panels. The project is expected to produce 530 megawatts of renewable energy.
However, locals around the area voiced concerns not only about the loss of iconic landmarks but the devastation to the environment as well. Others warned about the threat of valley fever, a respiratory infection that could be caused by excessive dust from the construction.
Native grasslands mingle with Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert landscape. (Gina Ferazzi /Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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"I don’t want another town to go through this," resident Roy Richards said.
One nurse, Melanie Richardson, described it being "hard to even watch" the trees being cut down and hosted a rally on Saturday to counter the project.
"Nobody wants this to happen," she said.
Joshua trees have ordinarily been a protected species of tree. Avantus, the developer behind the project, received an exemption from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Fish and Game Commission to clear the trees in 2020.
Avantus has said that it has been working to maintain the natural wildlife and will cut down fewer trees than were previously approved by the government. Despite this, the company has failed to quell critics, particularly since energy from the solar panels will be sent to wealthier communities.
Avantus began cutting down Joshua trees in June. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A petition against the project was launched earlier this summer and currently has over 52,000 signatures.
"Ancient Joshua Trees are going extinct, and we must save them. The Aratina Solar Project in Boron, California, is approved to destroy nearly 4,000 ancient Joshua Trees in this forest…These iconic trees have stood for centuries, providing habitat for numerous species and contributing to the unique biodiversity of our region," the petition read.
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The solar panels are expected to create approximately 530 megawatts of energy for the state. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP, File)
"Joshua trees are already under threat from climate change and human activities," it continued. "According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, these trees could lose 90% of their habitat by the end of this century if current trends continue. Allowing this project to proceed would accelerate their decline. We need sustainable energy solutions that do not come at the cost of irreplaceable natural treasures."
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Avantus said it is working in tandem with the Department of Fish & Wildlife as well as other environmental groups to also implement the Onyx Conservation Project to conserve tens of thousands of additional acres alongside its solar project.
"Onyx is estimated to protect more than 80,000 acres of Western Joshua Tree habitat, including 3,000 acres of dense woodland and is also home to more than 20 sensitive wildlife species, ranging from the California Condor to Mojave desert tortoise, Mohave ground squirrel and golden eagles," Avantus said.
The statement continued, "Aratina will produce clean, affordable, and reliable energy for hundreds of thousands of Californians, contributing to California’s renewable energy goals. And as a changing climate forces Californians to endure more frequent and intense heatwaves like the one we’re experiencing right now, projects like Aratina will help stabilize the grid and keep the lights on, all while generating significant local tax revenue and good-paying construction jobs."
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