Tell BLM to reject the application for the Bonanza Solar Project and establish the Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), is accepting scoping comments for the construction and operation of the proposed 300 MW Bonanza Solar Energy Project including battery energy storage and interconnection to the regional transmission system. The right-of-way application is for approximately 5,133 acres of BLM-managed public land in Clark and Nye counties, five miles west of Indian Springs and approximately 30 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (see Maps). About half of the area would be developed for solar panels. The project would be developed in a region with great ecological importance.  It is a photovoltaic solar power project with battery storage on BLM-land designated as a solar variance area in Clark County. About 2,500 acres would be developed for solar energy within this footprint.

If fully built out, the project would impact 4 square miles of Mojave Desert public lands and habitat.

The project would be built in a region identified as "the most crucial desert tortoise connectivity corridor in Nevada". It is located in an area identified as critical for the desert tortoise. This high value contiguous habitat maintains genetic and demographic connectivity between wilderness areas, national park lands, wildlife refuges and critical habitats.

The entire area has been identified by the Bureau of Land Management as Priority One Desert Tortoise Connectivity Habitat

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Desert Tortoise Recovery Office performed a landscape-scale modeling exercise to identify priority habitat linkages between and among desert tortoise conservation areas and define other large blocks of habitat with important value to recovery of the desert tortoise.

The project is proposed in relatively undisturbed desert tortoise habitat. It is located in the modeled Least Cost Corridor and represents high value contiguous habitat that connects desert tortoise conservation areas. It has been determined to be important to maintain genetic and demographic connectivity across the landscape to connect conservation areas such as National Wildlife Refuges, Wilderness Areas, Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Critical Habitats. All wildlife connectivity has been cut off to the east in the Las Vegas Valley by explosive urban growth, so this region "connects" the Indian Springs Valley to both the Amargosa Valley and Pahrump Valley.


Heavy construction equipment would crush millions of living organisms. Over 150,000 cacti and Mojave yuccas would be impacted. Insects, reptiles and mammals would all be threatened by heavy machinery. The project would create fugitive dust issues for the communities of Cactus Springs and Indian Springs. The project would be visible from the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, the Mt. Stirling Wilderness Area, Cold Creek, the community of Cactus Springs, and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.


From the project proponent's own calculations, there are 63 cacti and yuccas per acre on the project site that would be developed. That means there are 157,500 cacti and Mojave yuccas on the site. While some would be relocated, most would be destroyed. Salvaging 150,000 cacti and yuccas would be very expensive for the proponent so many would be sacrificed.


The project proponent has not said where they would get the water required to build the project. The close proximity to Cactus Springs (right) and presence of mesquite and cottonwood indicates that any water use for construction could draw down the aquifer. A solar project of this size will need about 300 to 400 acre feet of water during construction to mitigate fugitive dust emissions.


The project would be located in the Indian Springs Basin which has recently been identified as being situated right on top of a "Mega-channel" that is directly connected to Devil's Hole and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Water recharge from the high Spring Range is a reason for the mega-channel. The Devil's Hole pupfish is one of the most endangered species on the planet. Other endangered species could be threatened in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
^ Unbroken habitat on Bonanza Solar Project site
^ Female desert tortoise on Bonanza Solar project site
^ Desert tortoise Priority One Connectivity Habitat
^The proposed 58,000 acre Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Conservation organizations nominated a high-value Mojave Desert habitat for protection to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), requesting the establishment of a 58,000-acre Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) located just west of Cactus Springs, Nevada, in the Indian Springs Valley northwest of Las Vegas.

This is intended to be a proposed alternative to the Bonanza Solar Project.

This part of the Mojave Desert is viewed as a very important wildlife corridor for the federally threatened Mojave desert tortoise. Wildlife corridors link habitats which provide opportunities for breeding and genetic viability. Habitat connectivity is defined as the degree to which the landscape facilitates or impedes animal movement and other ecological processes. This is especially important to mitigate the impacts of climate change on this declining species. Both the Indian Springs Valley and Mercury Valley provide a link from the North Las Vegas Valley to Amargosa Valley and Pahrump Valley. Most of the land to the south is heavily urbanized by Las Vegas, Nevada. The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the desert tortoise has seen a 37 percent decline in population throughout its range.

The site also contains important habitat for other significant Mojave Desert species such as the Mojave yucca, Gila monster, burrowing owl, American badger, and the rare Parish’s club cholla—which is found on a limited range in Nevada and California. The region averages over 60 cacti and yuccas per acre. Big galleta grass, a staple food for the desert tortoise is abundant in local washes this year after significant rain. The proposed ACEC would also protect the fragile riparian habitat of Cactus Springs located on BLM lands. Cactus Springs is a unique small spring mound with non-flowing surface water. Historically there were two or more springs. A dense honey mesquite woodland thrives here with a shallow groundwater table, as well as a stand of cottonwoods. The riparian trees and mesquite thickets provide a rare stopover for Neotropical migrant birds during spring and fall.

The ACEC would not close existing roads or routes, nor would it change existing land uses. But it would limit the proliferation of large-scale solar energy projects on habitat. The area is seeing pressure to develop utility-scale solar projects and associated transmission projects on over 20,000 acres of this local habitat.

The BLM is considering the ACEC as a Plan Amendment to the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan in the project review for the Bonanza Solar Project. You can support this ACEC over the solar project! The BLM is still determining the relevance and importance values assessment for the nominated area, if any (43 CFR 1610.7-2 (a), MS-1613, (B)(1)-(5)), nor has the Bureau of Land Management determined whether interim special management attention will be warranted to protect any relevance and importance values.
^Over 20,000 acres of solar applications in the area.
^Photos of rare Parish's club cholla, phainopepla at Cactus Springs, big solar clearing and Cactus Springs wetlands.


Sample Letter to Send!

Below is a sample letter that can be sent to Brian Buttazoni at Bonanzasolar@blm.gov. Comments can also be submitted through the BLM web portal here. Comments are due on July 20th, 2023.

Additionally, public input can be mailed to Brian Buttazoni, BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada 89502

Below is a sample letter you can copy and send to BLM. Please personalize the message to give them a diverse selection of comments. Your own ideas will make a difference to them when considering comments.



Dear Mr. Buttazoni,

Please select an alternative for the Bonanza Solar Project that denies the Right of Way for the solar project and establishes a Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

The proposed project site is located in a part of the Mojave
Desert that the Fish and Wildlife Service has called 'the most critical desert tortoise connectivity corridor in Southern Nevada'. This high value contiguous habitat maintains genetic and demographic connectivity between wilderness areas, national park lands, wildlife refuges and critical habitats. All desert tortoise connectivity in the Las Vegas Valley has been cut off by explosive urban growth.

The project would destroy an undisturbed site and remove habitat for multiple Mojave Desert species including desert kit fox, Parish's club cholla, Utah vine milkweed, kangaroo rats, long-nose leopard lizard, burrowing owl, western banded gecko, loggerhead shrike and a host of other species.

There are 63 cacti and yuccas per acre on the project site that would be developed. That means there are 157,500 cacti and Mojave yuccas on the site. Most would be removed and/or destroyed.

The project would create visual impacts for the Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area, the Mount Stirling Wilderness Area, the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Cactus Springs and Cold Creek.

Construction of the project would destroy biological soil crusts and desert pavement. This will create fugitive dust issues for the communities of Cactus Springs and Indian Springs, Nevada,

Construction of the project could require up to 300 to 400 acre feet of water to control fugitive dust. If the project proponent uses local water, it could dry up the riparian springs at Cactus Springs. The region also sits on top of a Mega-channel that is part of the watershed that supplies Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Devil's Hole, home to the Devil's Hole Pupfish, one of the most endangered species in the world.

To preserve diverse Mojave Desert habitat on public lands, BLM should reject the application for the Bonanza Solar Project and establish the 58,000 acre Area of Critical Environmental Concern as an alternative and Plan Amendment to the Las Vegas Resource Management Plan.

At this point, there are over 20,000 acres of solar projects proposed for the region including Bonanza Solar which BLM is reviewing at this time. The ACEC would provide a long-term projection to diverse high desert species, unique wetlands and spectacular view-sheds. The desert tortoise is protected under the Endangered Species Act and has seen a range-wide decline of 37 percent. Now is the time to keep important identified habitat for the species undeveloped. Nevada contains some of the nation's most valuable public lands and the Cactus Springs ACEC presents a great opportunity to not only protect the desert tortoise, but also additional valuable resources in the area. 

Thank you,

(Your name and info here)
^ Sunset over proposed Cactus Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern.