California’s deserts are home to an extraordinary diversity of animal and plant species, many of which are threatened or endangered. Our deserts also contain some of our nation’s most prized recreational, historical and cultural lands.

Over the years, there have been threats to our deserts. Interestingly and ironically, there is a potential new threat to our deserts – renewable energy.

Renewable energy is a good thing. It creates jobs and helps us to clean up our air and drinking water. However, when it’s put in places without much prior thought or planning, it can be annoying and even harmful to people, animals, plants and special places.

Up to now, the process for allowing renewable energy companies to develop in California’s deserts has been haphazard and lacking in thoughtful consideration of the impacted interests. Hopefully, that will change in the near future.

Several years ago, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management embarked upon a long-term planning process for renewable energy development in our deserts, which is called the Desert Renewable Energy Development Plan. The DRECP is focused on the desert regions and adjacent lands of seven California counties – Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego. It is being prepared through a collaborative effort between the BLM and the California Energy Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The DRECP is an ongoing planning process that will continue to involve local, state and federal government lands and agencies. Its stated purpose is to identify lands that are most appropriate for renewable energy development, while conserving other areas that are determined to be inappropriate for this development as a result of impacts to important values (i.e., property rights, wildlife, historical significance, importance to indigenous people, and recreation).

When this process began, the BLM sought public, private and governmental input, so it could begin preparation of its lengthy draft report. The BLM is expected to issue its draft report later this month. At the same time, the BLM will establish a time period for the public to comment on it.

In anticipation of the release of the draft DRECP, the BLM has scheduled a public informational webinar for Wednesday, Sept. 17. The webinar is intended to help the public prepare for, review and comment on the document. It has been scheduled for 4 p.m. To 6 p.m. in the Moreno Valley Conference and Recreation Center, 14075 Frederick Street, Moreno Valley. The webinar will include background information on the DRECP including the plan’s overall goals, the general content and structure of the plan and associated environmental analysis, and an orientation to the DRECP Gateway, a user-friendly, map-based data sharing system. The webinar may be viewed in person or online at [this address].

Hopefully, the DRECP will itemize special lands that will be protected from renewable energy development (such as Silurian Valley, Cadiz Valley and the Chuckwalla Bench) and will include specifics as to how the BLM will manage these lands.

On the other hand, the DRECP should identify areas for renewable energy development that are already degraded and disturbed, to minimize impacts on desert residents, wildlife, recreational areas, and natural resources.

The DRECP should also make it easier for developers to site and build renewable energy projects in areas that are suitable for this development. If this planning process is done right, protection of our deserts and clean energy development can go hand in hand.

The DRECP is an unprecedented opportunity for California citizens and counties to help determine the future of our deserts.

Linda Castro is a nature enthusiast and animal lover. She is the Desert Field Organizer for the California Wilderness Coalition and serves on the board of the SCV-based Community Hiking Club. Her articles highlight local and community stories that are heartwarming, uplifting or inspiring.