Statement regarding Solano Land Trust's opposition to East Solano Plan

California Forever takes our stewardship of over 60,000 acres of land in Solano County extremely seriously. The East Solano plan will serve all of Solano County and is intentionally located on just 17,500 acres, safely away from the Jepson Prairie, Delta, and Suisun Marsh. We are proposing a compact, sustainable community where there is no ecological habitat, on poor soils, with low fire risk, according to official state and county maps. Due to poor soils, the entire 17,500 acres produces only $6 million worth of agricultural production a year - only 1.6% of Solano County’s total of $385 million. 

In return, the East Solano Plan will bring thousands of jobs, homes, and economic opportunity that can benefit all of the diverse communities of Solano County, not just the wealthy few who inherited millions of dollars of land from prior generations and are now trying to pull up the ladder behind them. 

The East Solano Plan also proposes the largest solar farm in California which would deliver over 2 gigawatts of clean, reliable energy, ensuring our county and Travis Air Force Base are more resilient in the face of climate change. As noted in a BlueSky economic report, the solar farm will produce $281M in direct investment to Solano firms and workers and create 1,383 full-time jobs during the 10 year build out. 

Several of our committed employers – like Plenty, which produces vertical farms that use 99% less water and zero pesticides, and Living Carbon, which is planning with California Forever to grow a 10 million tree nursery – showcase the innovative ways we can both respect Solano’s strong agricultural heritage and address climate change, while providing growth and opportunity for our future generations. 

We are disappointed by Solano Land Trust’s actions, but not surprised. Their primary donor is the Orderly Growth Committee, funded by a tax on every trash bill in Solano County. We would hope that those funds would be put to better use by focusing on homes and jobs for Solano County’s residents. 

Over 20,000 Solano voters signed the petition to put the East Solano Plan on the ballot. The decision ahead is how opportunity for all can lift up our collective communities from Vallejo to Dixon and Fairfield to Rio Vista. We believe in the future of Solano County and want its people to have the opportunity to build a better future for their families.