NEVADA VIEWS: Solar plants could threaten way of life in Amargosa Valley

Amargosa Valley, with its vast open landscape and sun-drenched skies, has become a prime candidate for utility-scale solar energy projects. This seemingly barren desert is now at the center of the nation’s renewable energy transition, with proposals for extensive solar farms and new transmission lines rapidly taking shape.

I see both the promise and peril of this shift. While there are undeniable economic opportunities for the state of Nevada, the potential risks to our environment, community and identity in the Amargosa Valley are too great to overlook.

Amargosa Valley is a community of approximately 1,400 people. Located on the eastern border of Death Valley National Park, our home is a place of extremes: extremely hot, extremely dry and extremely rural. We live in the very heart of the Amargosa River watershed, a groundwater river that makes life in this kind of deep desert landscape possible.

At first glance, the economic benefits of solar energy advertised to rural desert communities like ours are appealing. The construction of solar farms can bring jobs and a steady revenue stream from taxes and leases, which would help alleviate our town’s long-standing budget constraints. Businesses in the area might also see increased activity from an influx of workers. For a community like ours, where economic development has been limited, this could be a welcome change.

Yet, beneath the surface, the long-term gains are far less clear. Construction jobs are temporary and, once the solar panels are in place, only a handful of permanent jobs remain. In fact, solar farms offer little in the way of sustainable, long-term employment for the people of Amargosa. We risk losing more than we gain if we allow these developments to proceed without careful consideration of their long-term impact on our local economy, including agriculture, tourism and off-highway vehicle recreation.

The pending closure of Ponderosa Dairy — our largest employer — is a grim reminder of this imbalance. If it’s sold to a solar company, 80 percent of our local workforce could be displaced. The ripple effect would hit our schools, businesses and families. While solar companies promise progress, the question we must ask ourselves is: At what cost?

Advocates for solar energy tout its environmental benefits, but here in Amargosa Valley, the environmental costs are often overlooked. Our valley sits near the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, home to rare species such as the infamous endangered Devils Hole pupfish. This is not just any desert; it is a critical habitat for wildlife and a key part of the Amargosa River ecosystem. Large solar farms disrupt these habitats, fragment the land and could lead to the destruction of the very biodiversity that makes this area unique.

Water is another significant concern. Our wells are now drying up, forcing residents in my community to take on the expense of drilling as deep as 300-500 feet to keep their faucets running. Solar farms, despite being located in the desert, require water for construction and maintenance, potentially putting further strain on our already falling water table. Without water, our town simply ceases to exist.

Perhaps the most profound impact, however, is on our community’s identity. Amargosa Valley is not just a piece of land to be exploited for its natural resources; it is home to ranchers, farmers and families who have lived here for generations. Our way of life, defined by wide-open spaces and a deep connection to the land, is threatened by the industrialization that solar farms bring. Imagine 50,000 acres or more of solar panels stretching across a town that is only 16 miles long. This is the reality we face. The visual impact alone is staggering.

Our community, which values its natural beauty and rural way of life, will be forever changed by this transformation. For many, it feels like a loss of identity, a loss of the land that we hold dear. But even more acute is what this scale of industrialization will bring in terms of felt impacts.

Undisturbed, the desert’s soils let very little dust escape with the wind. Solar farms are known to break up this crust formed over thousands of years, leading to blowing dust that can contribute to a variety of respiratory issues for nearby residents. And believe me: The wind is almost always blowing through Amargosa Valley. Disturb enough of the desert’s rich and biologically complex soils, and I assure you the residents of our town will blow away with the wind, too.

This is not a blanket rejection of solar energy. Amargosa Valley understands the importance of renewable energy for the state, and we have worked with land managers and energy developers for more than a decade to find places around our valley that strike a fair balance between development and conservation. But we must find a balance that allows for the generation of this power without sacrificing our health, environment or way of life. This means involving local interests in the planning process, ensuring that solar developments do not encroach on sensitive ecological areas and investing the economic benefits from these projects back into the community.

We also need to look beyond the immediate promises of solar energy. Diversifying our economy, protecting our water resources and ensuring that families that have made a home in this beautiful place can thrive must be a priority. Solar energy might be part of the solution, but it cannot be the only solution.

The decisions we make today will define the future of Amargosa Valley for generations to come. We are at a crossroads, and it is up to us to decide whether we will allow outside interests to reshape our town in their image, or whether we will fight for a future that preserves the values we hold most dear. We deserve a voice in this process, and we must ensure that the benefits of solar energy development are shared by all — not just by corporations or those who seek short-term gains.

As we move forward, I urge state and federal leaders involved in planning processes, such as the Bureau of Land Management’s Western Solar Plan, to champion an approach that protects the people of Amargosa Valley and our unique desert ecosystem. We must safeguard Ash Meadows and the surrounding areas from the devastating impact of unbridled solar development. Our community and our future depend on it.

Carolyn Allen is an Amargosa Valley resident and chair of the Amargosa Valley Town Board.