Rosemary Solar and Energy Storage System Complex

The Rosemary Solar and Energy Storage System Complex is a 140-megawatt photovoltaic solar project with integrated battery energy storage, to be constructed on approximately 1,212 acres of agricultural land in unincorporated Fresno County, California, located west of State Route 145, about 25 miles southwest of Fresno, six miles east of Cantua Creek, and five miles south of San Joaquin, on the south side of Kamm Avenue between South El Dorado Avenue and South Yuba Avenue. The project includes three interconnected solar generation sites, an on-site substation, and a 2-mile transmission line connecting to the Pacific Gas and Electric Crescent Substation, alongside a five-mile upgrade of existing PG&E transmission lines. The facility will operate under a 30-year lifespan, with a comprehensive decommissioning plan required at project end. Construction is projected to take 18 months with concurrent development, operating six days per week, with work hours from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends. Key environmental compliance is governed by the California Environmental Quality Act, with oversight from Fresno County as the lead agency and coordination with multiple state and federal bodies including the State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the California Public Utilities Commission. Technical and operational requirements are defined by multiple regulatory standards, including NERC FAC-003 for vegetation management, UL 9540A and NFPA 855 for battery fire safety, and OSHA regulations under 29 CFR. Emergency Action Plans must be developed in consultation with local fire agencies and comply with California Senate Bill 38, with annual refresher training for first responders mandated. Special constraints include motion-activated lighting to protect nocturnal species, a ban on plastic monofilament erosion control materials, and mandatory wildlife surveys before burial or reuse of storage pipes. Design must adhere to Avian Power Line Interaction Committee guidance to minimize bird collisions. Security, safety, and reporting protocols require immediate notification of special-status species sightings, 24-hour reporting of hazardous material spills, and onsite presence of a qualified biologist during vegetation clearing and grading activities. Inspections occur along the transmission corridor from the Helm Substation to the Crescent Switching Station, with formal acceptance governed by CPUC standards. Oversight responsibilities are