People living in the small desert community of Cantil will have to wait a little while longer before they learn the fate of their lifestyle, their land, and their groundwater.
The Kern County Planning Commission delayed action tonight on a proposed solar power facility that will not only install more than three million solar panels, but also extract hundreds of of thousands acre feet of groundwater per year.
One planning commissioner feared tonight's meeting would become a battle between East and West Kern County, as a number of residents of Cantil and Ridgecrest expressed their concern about the Fremont Valley Preservation Project.
A proposal that has many layers and still several unanswered questions.
"This is the mother of bad ideas."
For two hours the Kern County Planning Commission heard from concerned residents of Cantil, a small desert community in Eastern Kern County, about the solar power proposal known as the Fremont Valley Preservation Project.
The project proposed by Beverly Hills based company Aquahelio would put 3.6 million solar panels in the area and provide power to more than 300,000 homes in and out of Kern County.
But there's another facet to Aquahelio's proposal: selling the basin's ground water and and storing millions of gallons of water.
The same company also owns the newly approved Beacon Solar Project.
Many residents were concerned the water would be sold to outside cities and counties, like Los Angeles, where Aquahelio is based.
"I just want to make sure everyone understands we're not proposing for a conditional use permit to move the water out of Kern County," said Roger McIntosh of McIntosh and Associates
"No native water will leave Kern County. We have no intention to do that, we're not seeking permitting to do that," explained David Morton, who represents Aquahelio.
So now the million dollar question is, where exactly would the water go in Kern County?
"We're not quite sure where it would go, that's one of the issues that was discussed at the planning commission this evening was who the potential purchasers were," said Craig Murphy from the Kern County Planning Commission.
The public hearing and vote will take place on January 23rd.
There will be two workshops before then, one in Cantil, and one in Ridgecrest, for the planning commission to hear from residents and answer questions.
The Kern County Planning Commission delayed action tonight on a proposed solar power facility that will not only install more than three million solar panels, but also extract hundreds of of thousands acre feet of groundwater per year.
One planning commissioner feared tonight's meeting would become a battle between East and West Kern County, as a number of residents of Cantil and Ridgecrest expressed their concern about the Fremont Valley Preservation Project.
A proposal that has many layers and still several unanswered questions.
"This is the mother of bad ideas."
For two hours the Kern County Planning Commission heard from concerned residents of Cantil, a small desert community in Eastern Kern County, about the solar power proposal known as the Fremont Valley Preservation Project.
The project proposed by Beverly Hills based company Aquahelio would put 3.6 million solar panels in the area and provide power to more than 300,000 homes in and out of Kern County.
But there's another facet to Aquahelio's proposal: selling the basin's ground water and and storing millions of gallons of water.
The same company also owns the newly approved Beacon Solar Project.
Many residents were concerned the water would be sold to outside cities and counties, like Los Angeles, where Aquahelio is based.
"I just want to make sure everyone understands we're not proposing for a conditional use permit to move the water out of Kern County," said Roger McIntosh of McIntosh and Associates
"No native water will leave Kern County. We have no intention to do that, we're not seeking permitting to do that," explained David Morton, who represents Aquahelio.
So now the million dollar question is, where exactly would the water go in Kern County?
"We're not quite sure where it would go, that's one of the issues that was discussed at the planning commission this evening was who the potential purchasers were," said Craig Murphy from the Kern County Planning Commission.
The public hearing and vote will take place on January 23rd.
There will be two workshops before then, one in Cantil, and one in Ridgecrest, for the planning commission to hear from residents and answer questions.