The Chapter will be sending the below letter to County Supervisors and DESRI to voice our concerns.
To add your name to this letter, fill out our petition form.
ASLA California Sierra Chapter Statement on Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) California Sierra Chapter is supportive of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing carbon neutrality through clean energy projects that are planned and executed thoughtfully and with consideration of all environmental factors. While we are supportive of increasing the use of renewable energy, we do not support doing so at any cost. We are deeply concerned about the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project and the negative impacts that development will have on some of the last old growth Blue Oak habitat in the State of California. We applaud SMUD’s decision to back out of the purchasing agreement with DESRI.
The ASLA California Sierra Chapter is comprised of landscape architecture professionals in the Sacramento Region and central California. The chapter’s vision is “healthy, beautiful, and resilient places for all.” As professionals responsible for designing public spaces, we are committed to environmental stewardship and promoting the health, safety, and welfare through nature-based solutions to climate change. Landscape architects are licensed professionals on the front line of using open space to combat climate change, mitigate risk of wildfires, and ensuring access to open spaces.
While the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project will advance California’s clean energy goals, it would come at great cost to critical environmental and cultural resources that cannot be replaced by the mitigation measures indicated in the environmental reports. This project is also opposed by numerous environmental groups and tribes, including the Wilton Rancheria, United Auburn Indian Community, Ione Band of Miwok Indians, and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Healthy, intact woodlands such as those at Coyote Creek are more than just a few trees: they act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon and slowing climate change; they act as cooling centers by providing shade; and they support a huge amount of wildlife, many of which are critical to industries like agriculture. Removing trees accelerates climate change and results in poorer air quality, which causes people to experience more health problems such as heat stroke and breathing difficulties.
Furthermore, the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project would destroy the beautiful views that people enjoy while driving along the area’s rural roads, including Scott Rd. Projects like the Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project that result in habitat loss also have negative economic impacts, including people needing to spend more money on health care to address climate related health problems, a reduction in tourism due to places becoming less attractive to visit, and farmers needing to spend more money on pesticides and pollination due to a lack of beneficial insects and pollinators.
Coyote Creek supports some of the last remaining old growth Blue Oak Woodlands in California. Some trees at this site are hundreds of years old and there are nearly 200 blue oaks with a diameter of three feet or greater. Coyote Creek is also home to vernal pools, which are sensitive habitats that support a variety of special status species including fairy shrimp. Less than 10% of the original vernal pool habitats remain in the state. The agrivoltaic ranch project would reduce the quality and connectivity of important wildlife habitats. Blue Oak Woodlands are very biodiverse and provide habitat for up to 300 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects. Destroying this habitat would disrupt several special status animal species, including: western pond turtles, nesting colonies of tricolored blackbirds (state threatened), burrowing owls (state candidate), Swainson’s hawks (state threatened), bald eagles (state endangered), vernal pool fairy shrimp (federally threatened), valley elderberry longhorn beetles (federally endangered), and American badgers (state species of special concern). The site is also home to 25% of known occurrences of spiked western rosin weed. The agrivoltaic ranch project would threaten two perennial streams that flow into Deer Creek which flows into Cosumnes River. Polluting these streams would have devastating effects on the water quality and wildlife habitat downstream of the pollution source.
Although a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) was prepared for this project, numerous flaws and deficiencies have been found in the report. One of the deficiencies in the plan is it only accounts for a 1:1 replacement of oak saplings for each mature oak removed. This does not align with the Sacramento County General Plan that calls for the planting of one tree seeding for each inch of trunk diameter removed. The Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Ranch Project would result in the removal of 79,126.40 inches of trunk diameter. Blue oak trees grow slowly and frequently are eaten by wildlife or die from heat or drought.
Developments like this have the opportunity to contribute to the region and state’s clean energy future while also preserving and enhancing the rare environments that exist in our region. Along with carbon emission reduction targets, the state has also made a target to conserve 30% of its natural lands by 2030. The Coyote Creek Agrivoltaic Project plan could be amended to minimize the impacts outlined above and conserve the critical habitat it will be sited among.
We believe that the Sacramento Area should provide as much clean energy as possible but find appropriate places to develop green energy infrastructure that does not negatively impact irreplaceable environmental and cultural resources. We appreciate your consideration and welcome the opportunity to work together toward green energy solutions that also protect or enhance our state’s declining biodiversity.
