LADWP headquarters, Los Angeles, hosted some 75 people on the solar ranch project.

Once again, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has extended the comment period on the Draft EIR of the Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch Project.

Originally, DWP made their Draft EIR available August 30th with a deadline for comments on October 18th. For whatever reason, DWP has extended that deadline a few times. Now, it sits at December 20th.

DWP asks for comments as soon as possible but no later than 5pm on December 20th. The solar array designed for six miles southeast of Independence would include one million solar panels on 1200 acres that would generate 200 megawatts of power.

Inyo County has sent in comments objecting to aspects of the project. Those comments point to visual impacts on the viewshed from the valley floor and the Inyo Mountains. The County objected to DWP’s failure to consider the Water Agreement with installation of two new groundwater pumps. The County also has concerns about housing impacts.

Some citizens have come forward to object to a huge industrial development in the Valley. The Manzanar Committee has strongly opposed the project which would sit directly across from the Manzanar Historic Site. A meeting held at DWP headquarters in Los Angeles drew some 75 people, including former internees at Manzanar and their families.

Send comments to:

Ms. Nadia Parker
Environmental Planning and Assessment
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
111 North Hope Street, Room 1044
Los Angeles, California 90012

Or email to [email protected] or [email protected]