Supervisors Lovingood and Ramos Join Forces Against Massive Wind Project

San Bernardino county First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood's reliance upon inept county staff has resulted in an overall mediocre performance from his district's seat.

Supervisor Lovingood gets one right!

July 27, 2014

    With Robert Lovingood's election to the county's First District seat, we were highly encouraged that a redeeming replacement to the morally corrupt Brad Mitzelfelt was finally going to represent the will of the constituents of the First District.

    Unfortunately, Lovingood's performance hasn't fully met our expectation of him.  Instead of addressing many of the entrenched problems of the county, especially with the dysfunctional and sneaky Land Use Services Department, Lovingood has taken the easier route of buying into county business as usual, largely coasting on the coattails of a derelict and entrenched county staff that he has placed his trust in.

    Lovingood's support of a Solar Initiative last year to address industrial solar facilities being inappropriately placed into residential areas was a good step; but so far that has only resulted with defective code language that leaves many problems still unanswered.

    A major problem with the county has been the permitting of alternative energy and other businesses that violate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and in some cases, the county's own codes.

    And let's not forget the county's continued draconic exercise of excessive construction requirements that has made San Bernardino County one of the most expensive and unfriendly counties in California to build in; that today highly discourages major construction, economic growth, and jobs.

North Peak Wind Project

    Despite a number of disappointments from Supervisor Lovingood, he has struck gold with us in his opposition to the North Peak Wind Project that is planned for over 16 square miles of mountain ridges and slopes in view of the better part of Victor Valley.

    The project's planned disfigurement of the landscape is dependent upon the permitted use of the land that is principally controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management.  An entity that we have previously written about as being illegal as the land under the U.S. Constitution is supposed to be owned and controlled by the sovereign state of California.

Artist rendition of the North Peak Wind Project as it would be seen looking down Central Road (on the right) from the intersection of Nisqually Road in Apple Valley.

    Robert Lovingood has teamed up with the Third District supervisor, James Ramos, to send a joint letter opposing the highly visible project to Neil Kornze, BLM Director.  The letter reportedly cites concerns of anticipated drop in property values, viewshed disruptions, damages to Native American cultural resources, interferences with radar tracking, and numerous environmental concerns.

    It is noteworthy that Lovingood's letter recognizes the anticipated drop in property values, viewshed distruption, and numerous environmental concerns regarding turbines on the distant ridge lines but that he was blind to see the same problems to adjacent landowners in connection to Thomas Stickley's Newberry Springs Active Towing eyesore.

    In a press release on the wind project, Lovingood is quoted as stating "San Bernardino County has already borne the brunt of renewable energy projects."  "For a wide variety of reasons, this is the wrong location for this project, and I urge the BLM to reject the North Peak Wind Project."

    Supervisor Ramos is quoted in the press release with similar concerns over the project that was voiced in the joint letter.

    Both supervisors are correct that under the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process, the legal theory of 'reverse incorporation' may support that San Bernardino county is taking an improper brunt of the federal government's placement of large scale alternative energy development.  Placement of projects that are mostly not taxable by the county and that are diminishing the county's tourist industry.

Alternative energy projects cripple California.

    As more and more of the state's mandated alternative energy projects go online, they are providing the most expensive source of power.  The cost of this highly expensive power is being totally passed onto the ratepayers who are having their standard of living lowered.

    As developers are chosing inexpensive rural desert sites for their developments and maximum profits, California electrical ratepayers are also being forced to pay billions of dollars for new transmission infrastructure to these developments.

    While the progressive Democratic controlled state leaders in Sacramento are eager to please Obama and his Administration's alternative energy objectives, the problem of atmospheric pollution (much of the Obama Administration's pollution models have been scientifically disproven) are skyrocketing California's power rates.

    California's geography and population is only a fraction of the world's; and represents only a small fraction of the atmosphere that is constantly circulating in the Trade Winds.  While Sacramento is driving manufacturing businesses that consume great amounts of power out-of-state by skyrocketing power rate increases, other countries like China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia (and most of the remainder of the world), are attracting jobs by building coal generated electrical plants as fast as possible.  China is averaging one new coal plant per month.

    California's warped thinking, supported by the Obama Administration, is leading the stupidity and decline of the U.S.   At least Australia has recently woken-up and is now starting to abandon the progressive liberials' fear mongering over a super heated planet.

    While most of the alternative energy projects are targeting BLM land, the county can challenge the projects.  If the county can remain a party in the courts supporting the exportation of 50,000-plus acre feet per year of precious San Bernardino county desert water to Orange and Los Angeles counties, it can legally challenge the unfair continuation of alternative power facilities being dumped in the county; and it can certainly refuse to participate in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP).

    These facilities are usually tied to time sensitive financing.  Lengthly legal challenges disrupts that timing and can doom a project, such as the Tessera, and later K Road Power projects east of Newberry Springs.  If the county started to protect its desert, the word would quickly spread that such projects are not welcomed.  Find another location.

    Supervisor Lovingood is correct, "San Bernardino County has already borne the brunt of renewable energy projects."  It is time that he takes a firm stand against any more being dumped in his district.

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