Grace Orchard Energy Center

Speaking for Laborers Local 11-A4 on behalf of Business Manager Mike Day, he supported the project, saying it puts undeveloped land to productive use, creates good-paying local construction jobs, and that continued delays create uncertainty for workers and businesses.

Also for NextEra, he clarified the funding structure — two payments, proportional shares across four NextEra projects, and a post-construction study — and later rebutted the FBO's objections, arguing the supplemental study and FAA review show the project won't interfere.

A business agent for Iron Workers Local 433, he urged approval, saying contractors and veteran apprentices are on standby waiting for the project to move so union members can get to work.

Representing IBEW Local 440, he said the project means career opportunities and middle-class, mortgage-sustaining jobs for apprentices and journeymen that continued delays keep pushing back.

The FBO CEO at Blythe Airport delivered a lengthy formal objection, warning the solar complex at the runway threshold is an unmitigated hazard — citing EMI, glare, military training impacts, economic damage, and the Amsterdam solar removal — and asked the project be relocated or held for more research.

Speaking for NextEra Energy Resources, he thanked the airport director for weeks of negotiation and said the applicant is aligned on finding and fixing the airport's interference problem, working with her until 5:30 the night before.

Presented the project details: panels only in Zones D and E, anti-reflective coating, and reuse of existing transmission structures to minimize new poles.

The Capital Airspace consultant said their analysis found no electromagnetic interference risk from properly installed panels and explained FAA screening criteria for transmission lines near the VOR.

The county airport director asked for a continuance, revealing the airport already lost its VOR DME approach to electromagnetic interference and warning that glare is glare regardless of FAA 'green' labels.

NextEra's representative opposed any further delay, saying the airport manager has had 14 months and a continuance now would cost the project six months because of biological grading windows.