Solar project to destroy thousands of Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert

A renewable energy company will soon begin clearing thousands of protected Joshua trees just outside this desert town, including many thought to be a century old, to make way for a sprawling solar project that will generate power for 180,000 homes in wealthier coastal neighborhoods. The 2,300-acre project has angered residents of Boron and nearby Desert Lake, two small Kern County towns where the poverty rate is twice the California average.

In 2019, San Bernardino County Supervisors voted to ban the construction of large solar and wind farms on more than 1 million acres of private land. Kern County, home to the state's largest oil patch, has long been friendly to energy companies. Lorelie Oviatt, director of Kern County Planning and Natural Resources, has repeatedly spoken at industry conferences to emphasize how the county tries to quickly approve projects.

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