In This Issue:
BrightSource halts construction as more tortoises discovered on solar project site; RENEWABLE ENERGY FOCUS - Analysis: Desert solar projects could bring financial gain, environmental losses to SoCal; Cal-ISO reports record windpower production; U.S. wind industry reports continuing growth in Q1 of 2011: AWEA; Oakland to use 'crowdfunding' to finance solar arrays; Solar power executives issue policy, industry recommendations; White House plans to ban mining on land suitable for renewable energy projects; San Diego takes steps toward instituting GHG regulations; Clean Coalition launches renewable energy campaign; NOTABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS And DEALS - Solar project planned for Petaluma.
BrightSource halts construction as more tortoises discovered on solar project site
Reuters - Apr 25
The Bureau of Land Management has ordered BrightSource Energy to halt work on two phases of its planned 392MW Ivanpah solar project in the Mojave Desert following the discovery of more endangered desert tortoises on the project site than had been originally estimated in environmental reviews. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have 130 days to deliver an opinion on how to manage the area's tortoise population, from which BrightSource will be required to develop a revised environmental plan for the project. The BLM stop order has halted work on Phases 2 and 3 of the project; work on Phase 1 is ongoing. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2013.
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