IID pushes to protect farmland from solar projects
The Imperial Irrigation District has taken a stance on where solar energy projects should go. The board passed a resolution saying too much farmland in the Imperial Valley is being replaced with solar panels. Most of the power from these projects goes to big cities like San Diego, not the local community. IID officials say they support solar development, but not at the expense of agriculture. “One in every six jobs in the Imperial Valley is directly related to agriculture, so solar is great, as long as it’s not on ag land,” said Robert Schettler with IID. The district also says farmland plays a role in helping the Salton Sea. “When growers grow, whatever the size of their farmland is, one third of the water that goes onto the field drains off and goes to the Salton Sea, so if you take ag out of production you’re not only affecting the local economy, you’re affecting the Salton Sea,” said Schettler. … IID is encouraging future solar projects to be built on desert or unused land instead.
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