March 30, 2021
David Haubert's campaign website featured an image of him in front of open space in East Alameda County.
"What Happened, Supervisor Haubert?"
The Livermore Independent published the following editorial after Superervisor David Haubert voted to approve the massive Aramis industrial solar project:

Before the Nov. 3 election last year, David Haubert supported the development of a solar policy before approval of the Aramis and Sunwalker projects. He also stated his concern regarding the impact of the Aramis project on the ecosystem at the proposed site in North Livermore, along Cayetano Creek.

“After meeting with local residents, I have grave concerns about the impacts of the project on the environment, especially the scenic corridor,” Haubert said in an August 2020 press release. “I would also like to see a solar study completed to help inform the decision. In my experience, leaders make better decisions when they have all the facts.”

The completion of a solar policy became a common request of the county from constituents and agencies concerned with the lack of development planning. And Haubert himself joined the stance when agreeing to an October statement calling for a moratorium on all solar development until such a policy is in place.

That is why many constituents have voiced their dismay that months after making these statements, Haubert went forward and voted in favor of the Aramis project despite the county’s lack of a solar policy.

He never said that he outright opposed the project, and perhaps some of his concerns about the project’s impact on the native ecosystem were alleviated through studying and attending meetings. However, it doesn’t add up that a solar policy was once viewed as critical during the campaign, but now it’s not.

If we’re rushing Aramis through ahead of completing a policy simply because applicant Intersect Power has claimed that the project will die if delayed by 90 days, then this isn’t the right company to work with. If this is the truth, as they have asserted, then they have not planned diligently. And that is not the county’s fault.

But, in truth, the claim sounds more like a slick salesman’s veiled threat.

Sunwalker — the much smaller project that’s proposed for the neighboring region — is set to hold its appeals hearing April 22. We hope the board will pause forward motion on this development until the county has a plan in place.
Save North Livermore Valley Go Fund Me Campaign Off To A Great Start
Seventy-five persons have donated nearly $14,000 to the Save North Livermore litigation fund in less than two weeks since we launched our Go Fund Me campaign.

The donors include George Kirby, one of the foremost experts on the voter approved initiative Measure D. Kirby chaired the Alameda County Planning Commission in 2000 when Measure D passed. Kirby remained on the commission for an additional ten years, overseeing the incorporation of Measure D's mandates into the East County Area Plan.
Commenting on our upcoming legal challenge to the County's approval of the Aramis industrial solar power plant in North Livermore Valley, Kirby stated, "I am certain that a properly mounted and funded court challenge will result in this project being found inconsistent with Measure D."

Kirby added, "The litigation will not only stop this specific conversion of agricultural land to an industrial scale commercial use but will also finally force the Board of Supervisors to initiate a public process to set policy for where, and under what conditions, agriculturally supportive infrastructure can be approved on agricultural zoned parcels of land."

Please help preserve the open space, agricultural land and wildlife habitat of North Livermore Valley by donating to our litigation fund today at https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-north-livermore-valley
Online Petition Calls On Supervisors To Stop Industrial Development of Beautiful North Livermore Valley
Yesterday, we created an online petition calling on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to stop further industrial development of North Livermore Valley and reject the Sunwalker solar plant. North Livermore Valley has been an agricultural district for over a century and should remain one. Its scenic vistas, natural habitat and open space of the North Livermore Valley belong to all of us and must be preserved for future generations.
If you share former Livermore City Council member and lifelong outdoorsman Bob Coomber's view of the County's push to approve utility scale solar plants on agricultural land in the East County, please sign our petition at https://www.change.org/savenorthlivermorevalley
Alameda County Approves Utility Scale Solar Projects Without Solar Policy
Coach Wooden's words aptly describe Alameda County's decade long failure to develop a comprehensive policy for the siting of utility scale solar facilities in the East County.

The task is not impossible. Contra Costa County started working on a comprehensive solar policy 7 years after Alameda County began its work, and Contra Costa County finished its policy a year ago. Santa Clara County adopted a solar policy in 2010.

After he voted to approve the gigantic Aramis industrial solar plant on March 4, 2021, Supervisor David Haubert said he wanted a County solar policy to determine where any new solar facilities should be located . . . but not yet.
First, Supervisor Haubert wants to decide whether to approve the other large solar facility in the "pipeline," called the Sunwalker project. The Supervisors are scheduled to review the Sunwalker project on April 22, 2021.

It's always we should have a solar policy . . . later.

We should develop guiding principles and sound plans for the expansion of renewable energy . . . later.

The County keeps kicking completion of a solar policy down the road. Officials claim they want to know the locations appropriate for solar facilities that would pose the least conflict with our open space, agricultural land, wildlife habitat and scenic resources.

But judging the County by its actions, Alameda County's policy on industrial solar facilities is to approve them on an ad hoc basis without a reference to any comprehensive solar policy and amendment to the County's General Plan and zoning code. Private, for-profit energy corporations, not the County, select the location of these facilities regardless of the community's views or environmental consequences.

This is one reason why we believe our court challenge to the Aramis project will be successful.
How intrusive will the Aramis Solar Plant be?
The Alameda County Planning Department never required Intersect Power to produce a complete and accurate visualization of the Aramis Solar Plant. The Board of Supervisors approved the project without this critical information.

The above image is our attempt to show what the project may look like. But we are not industrial architects. Our visualization lacks key components including the overhead electrical transmission lines, some mounted on towers 10 stories tall, miles of internal access roads, security fencing, and the 5-acre, lithium-ion battery storage complex with new power substation and an operations building.

A single image, however, can not convey the full size and impact of the Aramis Project. Please watch our video to gain a greater understanding of the extensive destruction the Aramis Project will inflict on the agricultural land and open space of North Livermore Valley.
About Save North Livermore Valley

We started as a group of farm and ranch families and other members of the North Livermore Valley Rural Community. We have been joined by over 400 concerned residents in the City of Livermore and Tri-Valley area united for the purpose of preserving the open space, agricultural land and wildlife habitat of North Livermore Valley for future generations.