‘Save Our Mesa’ Group Interviewed By National Media

By NICK YAMASHITA

The Progress

The leaders of the local Save Our Mesa movement and other Moapa Valley community leaders were interviewed last week by The Wall Street Journal. WSJ Reporter Jim Carlton was dispatched to Moapa Valley on Monday, Feb. 22, where he took in the views and sites of the Mormon Mesa.

Carlton is writing an article for the national news outlet on the opposition to industrial scale renewable energy plants being built on public lands. He dscussed a lot of information pertaining to the proposed

Battle Born Solar Power Project on the Mormon Mesa.
“It went extremely well,” said Save Our Mesa activist Lisa Childs. “About a half-hour into the interview, he (Carlton) stated ‘that there were some real issues here’ with the Battle Born Project sited on the mesa. It really got his attention.”

Completing a tour of Mormon Mesa by OHV, stops included newer land art spots: The Heart of the Mesa and The Peace Garden: and finished off at Michael Heizer’s world-renowned Double Negative. Local residents discussed issues from endangered species, historical significance of the area, destruction of the natural viewscape, perceived dangers of industrial battery storage, solar panel waste and more.

“He really was impressed with our knowledge of the issues,” Childs said. “He saw and learned firsthand and in person, physically, how solar power can be so destructive on the environment.”

Besides meeting with Save Our Mesa Leaders Alan and Lisa Childs and Matt and Jeanette Shambaugh, Carlton also met with local community members and leaders including MaryKaye Washburn of the Moapa Valley Revitalization Project and Vanette Christensen of the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce. Other leaders and residents of the community were also present.

“This was the most fun interview and really made an impression on me,” stated Carlton who thoroughly felt the recreational spirit of the Mesa, riding and driving in the Childs’ OHV. “This story is potentially huge.”

Though the interview was done last week it will be about 2-3 weeks before the article is published in the Wall Street Journal.

Save Our Mesa also received some coverage on Channel 8 News Now out of Las Vegas during the 11:00 pm newscast on February 24.

“The media attention and interest in helping us save our mesa is growing internationally,” said Childs. “We are so happy that people can share the interest in saving this beauty here on Mormon Mesa.”

Besides the media attention, Save Our Mesa has planned two upcoming events to raise awareness locally. A “Mesa Cleanup Day” is scheduled this Saturday, March 6, starting at 8:00 am.

Then a “Move it to Movement” OHV Parade and Celebration is scheduled for the following weekend on March 13. It will start by meeting near the Logandale Ballfield Complex in Logandale. Entrants in the OHV parade will be arriving and decorating OHVs at 9:00 am in the western part of the parking lot. The route will include backroads over to the Airport and then up the Mormon Mesa for the end of the parade at the top. Prizes and more will be awarded at the event.

For more information, please see www.saveourmesa.org.