Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury News has an interesting article today about a massive solar plant being proposed for California's Panoche Valley, which would ultimately be the world's largest. Environmental groups are opposing the project, however, because of the potential impacts to habitat and wildlife. This opposition includes two local Audubon chapters. We should note that the Panoche Valley is an Audubon Important Bird Area, hosting significant populations of Burrowing Owl, Grasshopper Sparrow, Short-eared Owl, Mountain Plover, Tricolored Blackbird, among many others.