Defenders of Wildlife Steps in to Protect Critical Tortoise Habitat
Defenders of Wildlife filed a legal challenge this week against the Department of Interior's decision to permit two large solar projects along the California-Nevada border because each would significantly impair a critical desert tortoise habitat linkage. The challenge calls out the Department of Interior's own doublespeak with respect to the need for "responsible development of renewable energy on our public lands." The solar projects in question - First Solar's Stateline and Silver State South - would destroy a total of over 6.3 square miles of habitat in the Ivanpah Valley; this area not only provides genetic connectivity across the tortoise's range, but research also shows the valley will "retain the precipitation and temperature levels necessary to sustain the species" through anticipated impacts of climate change. First Solar refused to consider relocating the projects to already-disturbed lands, and the Department of Interior decided to