YERINGTON, Nev. (KOLO) – The Nevada Division of Water Resources has sent a cease and desist letter to the developers of a solar project near Mason Valley.
In the letter, the state orders the developers to stop any further diversion or use of water from the area.
The division says that within hours of each other on June 22, their staff received two separate phone calls reporting water trucks seen transporting water for allegedly unpermitted uses from lands owned by Homestretch Geothermal 2010 LLC within Mason Valley.
In response, Division staff called a contractor for the Libra Solar Project, as well as an owner of Homestretch, both of whom they say confirmed that water trucks are being filled and delivered to support construction of the project in the area that spans Mineral and Lyon Counties.
The Division of Water Resources says Homestretch owns 11 certificated and permitted water rights, six of which are for industrial production from geothermal resources, with the other five being for storage and secondary geothermal effluent. The state says none of those water rights authorize the construction-related uses they accuse the company of conducting.
The state says that while Homestretch agreed to stop allowing water trucks to be filled, the alleged underlying violation does not preclude further state action should the alleged action continue.
The state ordered Homestretch to immediately cease all diversion and use of water from this source for the solar project, and to refrain from further use until they obtain the necessary water rights.
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