A Mojave Desert Solar Project Jeopardizes Thousands of Joshua Trees

California is aiming to make the entirety of its electricity production zero-carbon by 2045. One of the key areas that state leaders are looking to help the state reach its clean energy goals is the Mojave Desert. Since 2014, the desert has been home to one of the largest solar power plants in North America. However, California's zero-carbon efforts in the Mojave are coming at the expense of a celebrated natural icon: the Joshua Tree. President Trump's tariff war may take a big chunk out of California's budget. Since the tariffs went into effect last week, the stock market has plummeted for days on end; that means a drop in revenue for some of the state's wealthiest residents, which could put a hole in California's budget down the line. A new bill circulating through the California state legislature may tip the balance in favor of rideshare drivers, when it comes to bargaining for better working conditions. AB-1340 would make it legal for those driving for rideshare giants like Lyft and Uber to form a union, in order to negotiate with their employers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices