Solar power no eco-friend to Mojave Desert

Could a large new solar power plant set to be built in the Mojave Desert cause major environment damage? Well the federal government just determined that a new 400 megawatt facility would not cause significant harm, but according to Energy and Environment’s Land Letter, a closer look at the federal findings reveal that even with extensive mitigation, the proposed Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System project would destroy rare plants and permanently alter prized views from the nearby Mohave National Preserve. It would also consume an estimated 32 million gallons of groundwater in a region where water is scarce. So apparently, getting power from the sun, even in the desert, is not environmentally cost-free. Read more.