February 2, 2018 - Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) yesterday issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s decision to reconsider the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a 2016 agreement that determined how 10.8 million acres of federal land in the Mojave desert would be managed to balance conservation with renewable energy development:

“The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan was developed in 2016 as a way to both preserve desert ecosystems and allow for the development of renewable energy projects. It’s a balanced plan that resulted from years of careful analysis and wide-ranging community engagement.

“I question the logic of reopening this carefully-crafted compromise that was so recently settled.

“As California moves toward a zero-carbon future, we need to support new renewable energy development. That development, however, should not come at the expense of our public lands. We must ensure that the proper balance is struck when managing renewable energy development so the desert is protected. The current plan does just that, and there’s no reason to revisit it now.

“Scrapping the plan now is a complete waste of time and money, and I oppose this.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein