Release: Governor Jerry Brown Signs Bill to Move Solar Jobs Forward
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN SIGNS BILL TO MOVE SOLAR JOBS FORWARD
AB 1073 Will Help K Road Calico Solar Create Jobs
Sacramento, CA – May 25, 2012 – Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 1073 on Wednesday that will clarify that the K Road Calico Solar Project may continue the process of permitting and environmental review under the California Energy Commission, saving time and money while providing much needed economic stimulus to the High Desert communities of San Bernardino County. Assembly Bill 1073 clarified last year’s Senate Bill 226.
AB 1073 was strongly supported by Barstow area leaders including Mayor Joe Gomez, Mayor Pro Tem Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre and Barstow Community College President Thom Armstrong.
“We’re pleased that the Governor and our California State Legislators have continued with their commitment to clean energy and less dependence on foreign oil by passing AB 1073,” stated Sean Gallagher, K Road Calico Solar (“K Road”) Managing Director. “We look forward to working with the federal Bureau of Land Management, the California Energy Commission, the civic and community leaders in the High Desert, and other stakeholders, in order to bring clean energy and jobs to California in the near future.”
The K Road Calico Solar Project was permitted in 2010 by the BLM and CEC to construct 663 MW of solar capacity on federal lands 37 miles east of Barstow, adjacent to Southern California Edison’s existing transmission lines at the Pisgah Substation. The amended project will consist entirely of solar photovoltaic (“PV”) technology, and at peak production the facility will power up to 497,000 homes. K Road Calico Phase 1 will generate enough electricity to avoid approximately 500,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year—equivalent to taking nearly 100,000 passenger vehicles off the road.
The project is also expected to create over 400 local constructions jobs over the three years it will take to fully build both phases of the project.
K Road has taken major steps to avoid environmental impacts. The site was selected largely for its proximity to existing infrastructure. The main part of the project is squeezed between an interstate highway, a railroad and a transmission line with spare capacity. An SCE substation is adjacent to the site. Natural gas pipelines run through the site and it is crisscrossed by BLM and pipeline roads.
K Road eliminated over 3,600 acres from the site when sensitive resources were discovered on the northern portion of the original proposed site. Current plans include a voluntary further reduction of 671 acres and creation of a north-south connectivity corridor through the project to avoid potential impacts to animal and plant species. Land north of the railroad would be subject to a detailed tortoise study to determine how much of the parcel would ultimately be utilized for solar energy production.
“Although already on heavily impacted lands—next to a major railway, major highway, and transmission lines, and with natural gas lines running through the site—K Road Calico Solar has made great strides in protecting the natural environment,” said John Brown, Business Manager of IBEW Local 477, which represents solar electrical workers across San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire. “The jobs created from this project are going to positively impact the region, and we are proud to be partners in that effort.”
K Road looks forward to continue to work with stakeholders to develop, construct, and operate the Calico Solar power project in an environmentally responsible manner as well as provide green jobs and renewable power to the State of California.
About K Road Power
K Road Power is an independent power developer focused on developing, financing, owning and operating utility‐scale solar projects. Founded and led by William Kriegel, KRoad’s senior management is made up of long time power sector professionals from Sithe Energies, AES Corporation, Barclays, and Goldman Sachs. Together, K Road principals have a 25‐year history of successfully developing and safely operating over 20,000 megawatts of conventional and renewable power assets, consistently creating exceptional value for both shareholders and project stakeholders. K Road promotes sustainable, renewable energy development with a focus on reliability and efficiency in concert with environmental and social responsibility. K Road has offices in New York City and San Francisco. In August 2011, Barclays Natural Resource Investments (BNRI), a division of Barclays Bank PLC, entered a partnership with K Road Power to equity fund the continued development, construction, and operations of K Road Power’s utility-scale solar portfolio. BNRI partners with top quality management teams to invest in the global natural resources space, particularly upstream oil & gas, mining, power & renewables. It was founded in 2006, has as of April 2012 committed c.$2.1 billion equity across 22 portfolio companies and management teams. For more information, please visit www.bnri.com. For more information on K Road Power, go to www.kroadpower.com.
