Protect the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

My fascination with the stories of our ancestors began long before I arrived in the California Desert. A descendant of the Choctaw Indian tribe, I spent my childhood in western Mississippi listening to my grandfather’s stories of generations long before us. And while the Desert is not my own ancestral homeland, I represented many folks to whom this land is sacred during my time in the State Assembly. I’ve walked my fair share of landscapes that embody people’s stories and values, and continue to do everything I can to help preserve our region’s cultural and historic treasures.

That’s why I’m passionate about protecting the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), our region’s landmark plan designating which lands are best suited for conservation, and which are appropriate for renewable energy development. Earlier this year, the Trump administration took steps to undermine this balanced approach when it ordered a review of the DRECP.  I’m deeply concerned that this is just a preview of the Administration’s plans to do away with protections for our picturesque landscapes and precious cultural resources.

At such a critical time for the Desert, we need our community leaders and elected officials, especially the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, to speak up in support of the DRECP and the importance of this plan to our region’s future. I urge our County Supervisors to call for no changes to the DRECP.

Read the full article online at Inland Empire Community News.