IID opposes utility-scale solar projects in agricultural land

EL CENTRO — The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Board of Directors approved on Tuesday a resolution opposing the continued expansion of utility-scale solar projects on active or historically farmed agricultural land within the District’s service area.

The action comes as more than 13,000 acres of Imperial Valley farmland have already been converted for solar energy development—projects that largely export electricity to urban centers like San Diego, providing little to no benefit for local communities, the IID said in a prepared statement.

“Our identity and economy in the Imperial Valley are rooted in agriculture,” said IID Board Chairwoman Gina Dockstader. “Solar energy has a role in our region’s future, but it cannot come at the cost of our farmland, food supply, or the families who depend on agriculture. This resolution is about protecting our way of life.”

According to the IID, the resolution highlights growing concerns over the economic and environmental impacts of solar development on farmland, including the displacement of agricultural jobs, diminished return flows critical to Salton Sea sustainability, and the loss of the region’s rural and agrarian landscape.

“It’s time to draw a line,” said IID Vice Chairman JB Hamby. “Farmland in the Imperial Valley feeds this country and anchors our economy. Covering it with solar panels that send electricity elsewhere and leave us with the consequences is unacceptable. We support renewable energy—just not at the expense of our future.”

The IID said the Board emphasized that it remains supportive of renewable energy projects—when responsibly sited on non-agricultural lands such as desert areas, industrial zones, and ground that has not been farmed in many years. The resolution reaffirms the District’s commitment to preserving the farm economy and protecting vital natural resources.

The District said it will formally communicate its position to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, which serves as the region’s land use authority in unincorporated areas, and will encourage local, state, and federal agencies to prioritize agricultural preservation in future development decisions.

Coachella update

Also on Tuesday, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors heard an update on the region’s evolving energy landscape—including infrastructure projects and governance.

The IID has supplied electric service to the Coachella Valley since 1943, when it acquired several competing utilities operating in the area. In the decades since, the eastern part of the Valley has experienced rapid growth. Around the year 2000, its population surpassed that of the Imperial Valley, prompting growing interest in how electricity is governed, funded, and delivered.

That interest has surfaced repeatedly in the California Legislature. Since 2003, lawmakers representing the Coachella Valley have introduced six bills seeking to reshape IID’s governance or increase local representation, though none became law.

In response, IID has taken steps to proactively engage Coachella Valley stakeholders directly. In 2021, the Board established the Coachella Valley Energy Commission (CVEC), a forum to evaluate governance alternatives and build consensus. Working with the Imperial and Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commissions, the CVEC recommended the formation of a Joint Powers Authority—a position also endorsed in a formal LAFCO report.

That recommendation has already begun to take shape. In 2025, the Coachella Valley Power Agency (CVPA) was formed to help coordinate regional energy goals in cooperation with IID. Founding members include the City of Indio, the City of La Quinta, and Riverside County.

“The best answers don’t come from Sacramento—they come from sitting down with our neighbors and working through the tough questions together,” said Vice Chairman JB Hamby. “That’s what this process has been about.”

“We created the CVEC and helped stand up the CVPA because we believe in collaboration, not confrontation,” Hamby said. “We’re protecting Imperial Valley’s ratepayers and water rights while also making room for Coachella Valley communities to shape their own energy future.”

One recent example is a Joint Powers Authority formed between IID and the City of Indio in 2023. The agreement introduced a local surcharge to help fund two new substations and seven transformers—a capacity boost equivalent to more than 15,000 single-family homes. The projects are now in progress.

“This is what local problem-solving looks like,” said Division 5 Director Karin Eugenio. “Growth is real in the Coachella Valley, and we’re responding with smart planning, cooperation, and mutual respect between regions.”

The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) now oversees the administrative operations of the CVPA. A draft cooperation agreement between IID and CVPA is under review and is expected to formalize coordination on project requests and funding processes.

IID General Manager Jamie Asbury said the district remains focused on long-term sustainability and cost fairness.

“This isn’t just about transformers and substations—it’s about intentional growth and meeting community needs,” said Asbury. “We’re working to keep pace with development while honoring the values of both valleys.”