ConnectingCalifornia.org

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Desert News: Power Lines Plan route shifted; State is Planning for Power Plants; Chevron Sells Mine; Marines Seek More Land

New Green Path North power line proposal would avoid sensitive desert areas, but threaten others

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_greenpath27.40e3075.html

2-27-2009-A new route proposed for a controversial power line would sidestep sensitive Mojave Desert land by running towers parallel to existing lines along Interstate 10 and through San Timoteo Canyon to Lytle Creek.

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we get letters:

Evan Welsh writes:
The BLM is currently processing applications for solar facilities that would cover almost almost 700,000 acres. Many of these projects fall on land protected by the Wildlands Conservancy, in conjunction with the BLM and others, as part of the Catellus land acquisition. This modern gold rush has the potential to cut the Mojave Desert in half, and have a myriad of negative ecological, social, and cultural effects that will be impossible to mitigate. I have included a link to the BLM map that shows the relative size and location of these projects.

To download a map:

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/cdd/energy.Par.96009.File.dat/cdd_renewable_energy_09_05_2008.pdf

(click on map to enlarge)

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Mapping for projects, protection
1/26/2009--State officials are mapping the California desert to identify what to designate for renewable energy projects and what to protect….

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090126/NEWS07/901260308/1026

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Southern California utilities eye Inland desert as energy goldmine

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_renewables26.3d2d943.html


http://www.pe.com//imagesdaily/2009/01-26/20090126_renewables_gfx_600.jpg

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Chevron Mining agrees to sell Mountain Pass rare earth mining operations

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS190520+10-Sep-2008+PRN20080910

Sept. 10, 2008-- Chevron Mining Inc. (Chevron) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its MolyCorp-Mountain Pass rare earth mining operations to Rare Earth Acquisitions (Editor's note: they are not related to Rare Earth News.)

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Marines want to take over Amboy Road

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2009/01/26/news/local/local5.txt

1/25/2009--LAUGHLIN - The U.S. Marine Corps wants to expand its Twentynine Palms, Calif., air-ground combat training base to the east, taking over Amboy Road, which Southern California drivers use to reach the Colorado River cities…. “If the road becomes clogged with military convoys or closed during training exercises, travelers will change their driving patterns and detour past Indian casinos prior to their arrival in Laughlin,” she advised her board of directors.

More from the Center for Biological Diversity
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26416