Oct 21 2010
Solargen Energy Inc, declared that Solargen’s 399 megawatt photovoltaic solar energy generation facility in the Panoche Valley of South Eastern San Benito County, has passed the EIR (environmental impact report) certification by the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
This certification makes San Benito County act in accordance with with CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) norms. After the voting, the Planning Commission, also considered giving Solargen a Conditional Use Permit.
Completion of the CEQA process with the certified EIR of 1000 pages, means that the County has finished an elaborate analysis, about the environment, that included an 18 month long study on biology, and enhancements to be made for the environment, which would be done by Solargen, during the course of the project. Solargen to continue the modification processes plans to hold 23,000 acres of land, for the purpose of permanent conservation, other than the proposed 3,200 acres to be used for the project. The mitigated land is to be mainly used for the recovery of upland species of the San Joaquin Valley.
The CEO and Chairman of Solargen Energy, Michael Peterson, commented that they were thrilled that the project would supply California with both clean renewable energy and also mitigation land to preserve the major species in the San Joaquin Valley uplands. He further revealed that the company was able to acquire such a valuable tract of 23,000 acres, only because the resource agencies had targeted the land for this project, which would have otherwise been unattainable. The company hoped that this project would be highly beneficial to the environment.
According to Reb Monaco, San Benito County Board of Supervisors’ Chairman, this project was a special step towards achieving renewable energy in California, and that this project would thrust San Benito County to the top echelons, in the Solar energy future of California. To abide by the deadline given by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Solingen plans to commence construction work by the year end. The various federal and state permits would also be completed before the ending of this year, with the help of the certified EIR.