Federal agencies are being taken to court by environmental groups for their approvals of the 600 MW Calico solar project seeking public land. Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council Aug. 25 filed a 60 day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act and other failures to follow applicable laws. The Fish & Wildlife Service “has failed to prepare a biological opinion that fully and accurately analyzes the impacts that this utility-scale solar installation will have on the desert tortoise,” states the notice. The notice recommends that the Calico project be relocated to disturbed private lands. It was originally proposed by Tessera, previously known as Stirling, and then sold to K Road Power early this year. It is to be converted from Stirling dish engine to photovoltaic technology. The suing parties note that they have engaged in discussions with numerous developers of proposed utility-scale solar energy projects in the state, and cleared the way for projects totaling more than 3,800 MW.
