08/07/2023 Item 085 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MOHAVE COUNTY REQUEST FOR BOARD ACTION FORM FORMAL ACTION: FROM: Travis Lingenfelter, County Supervisor— District 1 CONSENT ❑ CONTACT/EXT: Ext. 4722 RESOLUTION ❑ DATE: August 7, 2023 OTHER ❑ BOS MEETING DATE: August 7, 2023 INFORMATION ONLY ❑ SUMMARIZE THE ISSUE&DESIRED ACTION CLEARLY/ATTACH BACKUP MATERIAL: The Biden Administration has been pushing permitting 25,000 megawatts of utility-scale renewable energy projects on federally managed public lands by 2025, which would be one of the largest shifts in land-use patterns in U.S. history. The Mohave County Board of Supervisors have become aware of multiple utility-scale renewable energy projects on tens of thousands of acres being explored within the County. These projects include utility-scale hydrogen, solar, and wind projects proposed on private as well as public lands. Many Mohave County citizens have voiced serious concerns over these utility-scale developments. Public lands represent about 50% of the total lands in the Western U.S. and Mohave County has only 10% private land ownership. Due to the difficulty in understanding the complexities of the impacts of utility-scale renewable energy projects, and a lack of available information and real analysis on their long-term local effects on Mohave County and our way of life, the purpose of the proposed moratorium is to provide sufficient time to fully explore, analyze, research, and make informed decisions regarding utility-scale renewable energy projects proposed within Mohave County. The proposed moratorium would only apply to utility-scale renewable energy projects, and not to either residential or commercial business owners from installing renewable energy projects on their own property. The moratorium, which could be extended or terminated early as-required, will provide Mohave County the necessary time to do a deep dive and truly study the cumulative long-term impacts to both the human environment and the natural environment within Mohave County, and to possibly recommend updates to Mohave County zoning regulations that include but are not limited to guiding what renewable energy projects can be approved; what parts of Mohave County are best suited in order to minimize negative impacts to critical wildlife habitats, grazing, ranching, and multiple-use outdoor recreation; how much noise is permitted; and, measuring true impact to our non-renewable desert aquifers and the current and future generations of Mohave County citizens that rely upon them for our rural way of life. Discussion and Possible Action: Direct staff to create and bring back before the Board of Supervisors on August 21, 2023, a Mohave County Ordinance adopting a 1-year moratorium on utility-scale renewable energy projects on lands within Mohave County subject to land use approval by the Board of Supervisors. Reviewed and Approved By: County Attorney Human Resources E-1 Finance EJ E Board Action Taken: Approved as Pfiquested No Action Taken Q Disapproved 0 Continued to Approved with the following changes: Acknowledged receipt and referred to: Filing Information and Retrieval Filed Bid Filed Agreement BOS Resolution Filed Yearly Correspondence Filed Petition Filed Dedication Filed Land Sold Filed Land Acquired Filed Franchise ID Resolution Filed Improvement District Filed Other Date Routed: LA-aQa 3 Additional Information: XC: