QWR NEWS RELEASE
March 2, 2026
OHV Commission Shifts Trajectory of Coyote Creek Solar Project
At the February 26, 2026 meeting of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission, recreation advocate Don Amador delivered a clear message: Commission leadership mattered — and it made a difference.
In his testimony (SEE VIDEO LINK BELOW), Amador directly
connected the Commission’s actions and oversight to the broader chain of events
that reshaped the future of the proposed Coyote Creek Solar Project adjacent to
Prairie City SVRA.
He noted that the Commission’s engagement helped create
the policy foundation and public momentum that contributed to:
A unanimous vote of opposition by the California State
Park Rangers Association
The filing of three lawsuits challenging the project
SMUD’s decision to cancel its Power Purchase Agreement
(PPA)
These were not isolated developments. They were part of a
sequence — and Commission deliberations were a catalyst.
When an oversight body raises substantive concerns about
viewshed loss, habitat disruption, and long-term impacts to a State Vehicular
Recreation Area, it sends a signal. That signal resonates with professional
associations, legal advocates, policymakers, and partner agencies.
The takeaway for stakeholders is straightforward: Commission engagement is not symbolic. It is consequential.
Public land decisions are influenced by leadership,
record development, and institutional accountability. The Coyote Creek case
demonstrates that when recreation voices are heard at the Commission level, the
effects can extend well beyond the meeting room — into organizational action,
legal review, and contract decisions.
For those invested in protecting recreation access,
environmental integrity, and sound public land policy, this testimony marks an
important acknowledgment of what coordinated oversight and advocacy can
accomplish.
Watch the testimony: OHMVR Commission Meeting, Feb. 26,
2026 (1:48:45–1:50:04), Cal-Span. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8zbUmHwasY
Watch entire OHMVR Commission Meeting, Feb. 26, 2026: https://cal-span.org/meeting/ohmvr_20260226/
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Thank you to all who stood up against this giant earth destroying project. Obviously big money cares less about the land, animals and plant life that has been there for thousands of years. Yet alone the feelings of the Native people’s rights to sacred land where their ancestors are buried or where cultural events may have taken place. No consideration was made for all the birds that would be killed from the heat reflected up by the panels besides the effect it would have on their eyes. If they must build then do it on land that is barren and not productive farm land (like they have done in and around Sacramento Metro Airport) or in the migratory flyway that is so important to birds. Please take this into consideration before making a decision. Thank you
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