Editor's Note: Lucerne Valley resident Bill Lembright recently sent this letter to the San Bernardino County Land Use Department to be included in the upcoming County development code for renewable energy projects in the desert. Others can send their letters to luscustomerservice@lus.sbcounty.gov. Responses are due by March 31.
Thank you for requesting public input. Here are some suggested changes, additions, or clarifications:
Not only encourage distributed generation (DG), but be sure to tally it as a part of San Bernardino County’s and CA’s renewable energy targets. Don’t let state bureaucrats ignore DG. DG is cost effective, Industrial Scale Renewables consume our tax dollars in subsidies and are NOT cost effective. Plus, Industrial Scale Renewables are a big reason our monthly power bills are rising. Constantly rising power bills have already made DG cheaper power for many of us than public utility supplied electricity. This trend will likely continue to grow by leaps and bounds.
The County can lead the way by targeting zero net electrical bills for County facilities while incentivizing residents to do the same at their properties. SCE’s high electrical rates have made us decide to install 21 photovoltaic (PV) panels where I live, plus we’re undergoing a major efficiency audit and upgrade at the same time. Many of our neighbors and business owners hope to do the same. With a long term surge in DG, the need for power from the grid ought to start shrinking, eliminating the need for subsidizing more expensive industrial scale renewables and their unnecessary, costly transmission lines and substations that raise our power rates even higher, while scarring our communities and beautiful scenery.
Local solar PV is unobtrusive. Wind generators and solar thermal have too many negatives to be acceptable in and around desert communities.
A STRONG message should be sent to the State and the big cities to incentivize PV and DG within and around their boundaries and spheres of influence.
A big push should also be made to convert from Incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent lighting to LED which use WAY less power and have become much more affordable in the last couple of months.
As part of a County renewable energy code or guidelines, emulate Lancaster and eliminate scraping, leveling, and clearing of land. Only allow ground mount posts to be bored or pile-driven in to maintain the natural flow of existing terrain. This will minimize soil disturbance, loss, air pollution, and flood damage; plus, conserve our scarce water supplies.
Incentivize utility companies to help us convert to zero-net power usage customers. They will still get our grid tie fees.
If we make these improvements, San Bernardino County AND its residents should save money, instead of paying ever higher electrical bills. Plus, we will be relieving the grid of a large portion of its demand, freeing up power for other areas of the state. This is so logical, economical, and doable that I doubt any open-minded decision maker would disagree.
Insist the BLM not approve industrial scale renewable projects near our communities which would be making an end run around all the efforts we are making with County Land Use Services.
Please reinstate the large scale renewable energy project moratorium until County policy is finalized.
Bill Lembright
Lucerne Valley