California Judge Cuts Off State Funding for High-Speed Train Venture

This is an article from the FoxNews-A California judge has slammed the brakes on funding a pricey high-speed train project, in a move that could put the entire Los Angeles-to-San Francisco line in jeopardy. The ruling Monday, by California Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny, was greeted as good news by critics of the ambitious but costly rail proposal. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., the House majority whip, called the high-speed train an “unworkable boondoggle” and said Tuesday he’ll work with his colleagues in Congress to deny federal funding for it as well. “The ruling marks yet another self-inflicted setback for the California High-Speed Rail Authority and a small victory for California taxpayers,” McCarthy told FoxNews.com. “The CHSRA has failed at every turn to detail a realistic plan that will fund this program. With no private funds, unreliable ridership numbers and the reliance on taxpayers to eventually bail the project out – it should not move forward.” The ruling is the latest setback for champions of high-speed rail in California. It follows a recent decision by the federal government to suspend their review of a massive loan for a separate California-to-Vegas train. Kenny, in his ruling Monday, rejected a request from the CHSRA to sell $9 billion of the $10 billion in bonds approved by voters in 2008. Over the summer, Kenny ruled that the state had failed to comply with requirements of the voter-approved money that would pay for the project’s initial phase. However, the measure also included provisions that basically said the state couldn’t start building if it had not secured all of the capital needed to create a fully operational and self-supporting first section of the line. California is about $25 billion short of what it needs to complete the first phase. While Kenny’s decision doesn’t immediately halt the project, it does make going forward difficult. Kenny ruled state officials failed to comply with legal requirements but chose to proceed with plans anyway. Dan Richard, head of the rail authority, said in a written statement he saw the ruling as a positive sign and the board is reviewing the decision “to chart our next steps” -- he said “it is important to stress that the court again declined the opposition’s request to stop the high-speed rail project from moving forward.” Elizabeth Alexis, co-founder of a Bay Area group fighting the project, told the Los Angeles Times the rail authority has been “acting as if it is above the law.” The CHSRA, which was already a year behind schedule, had hoped to break ground on the first 28 miles of a 130-mile stretch in the Central Valley by mid-2014. State officials say they are weighing their options and looking for ways to keep the project going but admit Kenny’s ruling could complicate construction plans. While the ruling limits California’s access to $9 billion, the state still could technically begin building by tapping into federal money; however, experts warn it would be a big financial risk for a state that has a history of making questionable money decisions. Less than five years ago, the state’s coffers were so depleted that many of the public services that helped boost California into the ninth largest economy in the world were in jeopardy of shutting down. Rod Diridon, a former rail agency board member and supporter of the high-speed train, discounted Monday’s ruling, telling the L.A. Times, “Our state is no longer used to mega projects. There are going to be a lot of impediments. So suck it up.” Earlier this year, another proposed high-speed train connecting California to Las Vegas was disrupted after the Transportation Department halted the review of what would have been its largest taxpayer loan in history. The project, which was a favorite of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, came under intense Republican scrutiny, with lawmakers citing concern about “subsidizing” a costly and possibly risky project.

Antelope Valley Residents are Concerned with the Safety of First Solar’s CdTe Thin Film. Cancerous Cadmium Telluride?

Cadmium Telluride is a highly cancerous element. Recently, Foxnews reported that a bankrupt solar plant in Colorado (Abound Solar) which benefited from $400 million in federal loan guarantees in 2010 from the Obama administration left a toxic waste that may cost $3.7 million to clean up. The residents who live near Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One want to know whether the cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film solar panels that First Solar has installed in their back yard will harm them. An article from Greentech.com indicated that according to First Solar Director of Environmental and Sustainable Development Dr. Parikhit Sinha explained to local leaders that cadmium telluride, “one of the best known semiconductors,” is not the same thing as cadmium. Here is the link regarding Abound Solar: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/30/bankrupt-solar-panel-firm-took-stimulus-money-left-toxic-mess-says-report According to First Solar A very thin layer of CdTe “allows you to absorb all the light needed to create electricity,” he explained. “This is the key to First Solar’s cost-effective and efficient manufacturing.” Greentech.com article goes onto say: A byproduct of mining, Sinha explained, cadmium is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Exposure can cause lung, kidney or liver pathology or failure. In the presence of tellurium, however, cadmium forms a crystalline lattice that is highly stable (high boiling point, low vapor pressure, low solubility). “It likes to be a solid,” Dr. Sinha said. “It is several orders of magnitude a factor of 100 less toxic than cadmium.” Dr. Sinha indicates that CdTe is still a potentially toxic material, but as it is within the glass panel it limits the possibility to inhale the toxin. “The semiconductor material is bonded to a sheet of glass under very high temperature,” Sinha explained. "An industrial laminate material, ethyl vinyl acetate, a type of plastic, encapsulates the semiconductor and seals it between a second piece of glass.” Freeing the CdTe from the laminate is the biggest challenge of recycling, Sinha said. It would take a very rare and daunting set of circumstances to both free the CdTe and release cadmium. Greentech also quotes an Assistant professor Dustin Mulvaney from San Jose State University who is part of the Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition (SVTC). Mulvaney indicated that First Solar is required to recycle the panels in a certain manner to prevent leakage, but the biggest risk is to the site workers if they get cut by the glass. AV residents were not fully satisfied as they felt First Solar is a new firm, and they may not know the full extent of the issues with CdTe. The site will have regular maintenance work done and inspections. They also will have prefunded end of life take back and recycling. Dr. Sinha also said that the maximum temperature on the solar panels will be 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius for just a few seconds and CdTe is stable in the glass at 1100 degrees Celsius with only .4 % potential release of cadmium. Dr. Sinha indicated that such an occurrence can be handled by the company and emergency services. Greentech’s article said that some of the residents were satisfied with First Solar’s response and others were not. The company has given $350,000 in community benefits, and also provide two hundred full time construction jobs.

Japanese Folklore Oarfish and Earthquakes, Did Southern California Just get a Prediction?

In Japan, there is a traditional between Oarfish and earthquakes that goes back centuries. . Legend says that Oarfish beach themselves as a warning to the people before an earthquake. Oarfish are a deep sea and rarely seen fish, and are said to be messengers from the palace of the Sea God. The first recent Oarfish showed up on Catalina Island, and just a week ago on Oceanside Harbor, California. Scientists disregard the correlation, but in March 11, 2011 the Fukushima quake was a major quake killing 18,000 and causing massive damage and a tsunami. A year before the quake Japanese fishermen reported a number of Oarfish sightings. The Daily Telegraph reports the appearance of the fish washing up on shore was followed by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile and the January 12 tremors in Haiti, which claimed an estimated 200,000 lives. There was also a less destructive quake of 6.4 in southern Taiwan. All these earthquakes are part of the Pacific Rim of Fire which includes California, where most of the worlds earthquakes occur with consistency. The scientific theory is that bottom dwelling fish such as the Oarfish may very well be susceptible to movements in seismic fault lines and act in uncharacteristic ways in advance of an earthquake. Also news reports indicate on October 18th a 15-foot and 2,000-pound Saber Toothed Whale washed up on shore in Venice Beach. This whale is also rarely seen and lives mainly in Alaska’s deep sea. Many may consider this part of “Climate Change”, but the global warming people blame everything on climate change. We will have to see if these rare species feel the tremors of the future or not in the coming months of years, but if something catastrophic does occur in Southern California then more attention maybe place in the Oarfish omen.

City of Lancaster Ca. Revitalization of Yucca Neighborhood

Yucca Neighborhood Revitalization The geographical area located between Sierra Highway and Division Street and between Avenue I and Avenue K, shall be referred to as the Yucca Neighborhood Vision Plan. This name was selected because of the important early role Yucca Avenue played in the development of the area within the urban core of the City, and because it is a recognized feature common throughout the entire vision plan area. The Yucca Neighborhood Vision Plan area is broken up into a number of land use districts composed of residential, commercial, industrial and transportation related uses. It is from the strength of these previously established uses that the vision plan will focus on promoting quality redevelopment in some of the older areas, while promoting compatible new development and growth on land suitable for infill projects yet to be developed. The primary objectives for the Yucca Neighborhood Vision Plan are: 1) to eliminate or reduce the number of deteriorating and unmaintained properties; 2) redevelop areas involving inconsistent patterns and densities of multi-family residential uses; 3) to mitigate the conflict between some of the uses (e.g. mostly commercial to residential uses); 4) to develop programs and establish street patterns for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of older commercial and residential properties; 5) to enhance circulation and access, wherever possible; 6) to ensure and facilitate the construction of new infrastructure to support neighborhood growth and future investment; and 7) to create implementation tools and comply with environmental standards in order to realize the potential benefits from the resultant vision plan. The City of Lancaster has been planning since at least September of last year to revitalize the area east of Sierra Hwy and between Ave I and Ave K. There have been community meetings with participation from residents in the area. The funding has been secured from Los Angeles County revitalization projects with an update of zoning code for the areas to the east and south of the Lancaster Metrolink Station since September 2012 with a grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the City has retained a team of consultants. This planning grant from the Southern California Association of Governments, the City of Lancaster has retained Sargent Town Planning to help create a Vision Plan for the Southeast Transit Village Plan Area (STVPA). The STVPA is approximately 90 acres located east and southeast of the existing Metrolink Station, from Lancaster Boulevard to Avenue J and between Sierra Highway and Division Street. The Plan builds on Downtown’s recent civic and economic revitalization to: 1. Extend the success of Lancaster Boulevard to the east side of the railroad tracks 2. Rethink the Metrolink station as an urban, pedestrian-oriented, multi-modal transit facility 3. Establish better pedestrian, bicycle, and bus connections to the Lancaster Metrolink Station from both sides of the railroad tracks, while still accommodating access via vehicles 4. Introduce mixed-use development to provide housing, offices, and retail uses that complement Downtown Several recent meetings have been cancelled, but with funding in place the prospects of a rejuvenated area between Division and Sierra Hwy and Lancaster Blvd and Ave J look good. Most of this area is industrial type property and development, but the zoning is Mixed Use neighborhood allowing apartments with retail at street level and housing above. The cost per acre for this land may seem high, but the likelihood of this area being filled with new development seems very high. The area here has lots of development and the open space is mainly infill. It looks to be a great area to invest for a short term gain. The area has need a boost for some time, and maybe now is that time with the funding in place and the area is surrounded by development. It will become a large transit zone with access to hospitals and all city services. It may even become a location for retired people because of the accessibility.

The Rich are Buying Land Why not You

As the wealthy get wealthier, they're putting more of it into land. America's 100 largest individual landowners added 700,000 acres to their landholdings last year, according to the Land Report 100, which is created by Land Report and Fay Ranches a brokerage firm and reported by CNBC. Those 100 individuals or families now control more than 30 million acres, or 2 percent of America's entire land mass. What are they buying? Looks like Ranches and Farmland, timberland which they lease out to farmers and loggers. Some of the recent holdings are by John Malone a Cable Titan who bought 120 acres in Florida, and Ted Turner (CNN) who bought 2 million acres, Jeff Bezos of Amazon who bought 290,000 acres, the Koch family with 239,000 acres and hedge fund titan Louis Moore. Why is this important for Antelope Valley Titans, well duplicating what the rich do can also influence your pocket book for one. You don’t have to buy hundreds of thousands of high desert land in the Valley. But these large land buyers don’t by thousands of acres just to hold. They investigate before they buy and they assess value with risk. They invest for the future, although some may donate this land for conservation purposes and develop elsewhere. But for investors looking longer term so when others get in on the low end of the market then it is a positive sign that low priced land may also be available for you in places like Antelope Valley, We have a number of low priced industrial land for sale on our website www.vacantlanddeals.com

Lancaster City Council Approve Three New Solar Sites.

City Council Meeting and AV Press Reports that the City Council in a unanimous vote Tuesday night Sept 9, 2013 gave final approval to three solar energy projects proposed for roughly 93 acres of open desert area on the east side of the Lancaster National Soccer Center. The City Council vote makes necessary changes to the zoning and land-use designations in an area generally bounded by avenues K-8 and L, and 20th and 30th streets east. The council's approval also validates a conditional-use permit the Planning Commission approved Aug. 19, allowing the projects to move forward as planned. The solar projects will be each owned by separate companies PsomasFMG, U.S. Topco and Morgan Solar. The PsomasFMG facility is on roughly 35 acres between avenues K-8 and K-12 west of 25th Street East, with a generating capacity of 3.8 megawatts. The project will consist of rows of photovoltaic panels on single-axis trackers. The panels will be between 6 and 8 feet tall, depending on their tilt. The U.S. Topco project is on roughly 38 acres between avenues K-12 and L west of 25th Street East with the capability to generate 8 megawatts of energy. Rows of fixed solar panels will be roughly 6 feet tall on the site. Morgan Solar's facility is on roughly 20 acres on the east side of 25th Street East. It will generate 1.5 megawatts of energy sitting on dual-axis trackers. The panels will be about 8 feet tall. All projects will connect to the power grid through underground wiring, a city report states.

Obama Renewable Energy Plan Targets LA, San Bernardino and Kern Counties

The White House has pushed for approval of an additional 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy production on public lands (BLM Bureau of Land Management). The Obama administration says the 25 utility-scale solar facilities, nine wind farms, and 11 geothermal plants it has approved on federal lands so far will provide enough juice to power 4.4 million homes. According to the National Geographic magazine, The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) so far has issued permits or is conducting environmental reviews for solar, wind, and geothermal projects covering about 310,000 acres (125,450 hectares) an area about the size of Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Many projects require that electric transmission lines be built over miles of open space to connect the remote renewable generating plants to the grid that serves population centers. There have been recent lawsuits against the plan to use so much public land and land that has delicate environmental ecosystems. Also, Federal and State Funds for these projects come with strict deadlines to break ground, a rush to buy land with an abundance of endangered plants and animals like E-Solar did in Antelope Valley. There are also regulations from County governments. This all created speculative investments, lawsuits, canceled projects, and other complications. The Solar Millennium project in Death Valley was abandoned by its bankrupt developer, Other projects have been cut back in size and some like Beautiful Earth in Del Sur in Antelope Valley have asked for extensions to complete their plan. Separately, birds have been found dead including three brown pelicans who may have thought the solar panels were a water source from several hundred feet. We have also reported Bright Source Energy’s issue with relocating desert tortoise found living on their Ivanpah Solar site. This site takes up 3500 acres. News reports indicate that the company paid up to $22 million to relocate the tortoise and they will have to spend $34 million in mitigation costs to offset their project. It is likely that projects approved just a few years ago would not have been approved today because of the environmental impact. Solar projects are the biggest targets for BLM land as they produce more megawatts than wind or geothermal and they use less land. The debate is not over and with all the legal challenges we expect more back and forth as these projects proceed or don’t. Some investors can benefit as speculative investment land and mitigation land will be targets for these environmental projects.