Three Points residents push back on proposed 5,500-acre solar farm that could reshape desert

For residents of Three Points and Robles Junction, a proposed solar project could change more than the view along Ajo Highway. Repsol, through its project company CG Three Points LLC, is seeking to build a solar farm across more than 5,500 acres of Sonoran Desert. The development could produce enough electricity to serve more than 124,000 Arizona homes each year, but nearby residents say the cost would be damage to the desert, wildlife habitat and the water supplies that support homes, ranches and livestock.

The proposed Three Points Solar Project has become a focus of growing opposition in the community. Repsol held a meeting in August to explain the project and its potential benefits, including hundreds of construction jobs and additional revenue for local schools and the fire district. Those benefits have not eased concerns among residents who say the land is not an empty or expendable space. They describe it as a functioning desert ecosystem with mature saguaros, barrel cactus, wildlife corridors and areas used by migrating birds.

Robert Steinbach, one of the residents organizing against the project, said he moved from Tucson to Three Points in 2020 because he wanted to leave the city and find a quieter place to live. He said the area has since provided the kind of setting he was looking for, but that the proposed project now threatens the landscape that drew him there. Steinbach has been using a drone to document the property and the surrounding desert, hoping to show the public what could be altered or lost if construction moves forward.

Residents point to several species they say depend on the area, including cactus wrens, Gila monsters and pineapple cactus. They also say caracara eagles, referred to by residents as Mexican eagles, migrate through the region and nest nearby. One nest is located across the highway, in a swirl cactus, according to Steinbach. The community’s concerns include the possibility that construction, grading and the eventual presence of extensive solar equipment could disrupt habitat, migration routes and the broader connections among desert species.

Saguaros are another major point of concern. Residents say the project area contains many of the iconic cacti, which are protected and require a license to remove from the ground. For people living in Three Points, the issue is not only whether individual plants can be relocated, but whether the larger desert environment can survive the transformation. Steinbach said residents fear that clearing such a large area would cause irreversible harm and could alter the character of the desert all the way toward Gates Pass.

Water is an equally serious concern for neighbors, particularly those who rely on private wells. Residents say washes in the area carry water through the desert and that changing the natural flow could divert water away from other parts of the landscape. They worry that the resulting changes could affect vegetation and wildlife and set off a chain reaction across the ecosystem. Steinbach also said residents fear the project could contribute to declining groundwater levels, forcing well owners to drill deeper over time at costs that could reach thousands of dollars.

Those concerns extend beyond household wells. People in the area say reduced water availability could affect ranchers, horses, cattle and other livestock. The project’s potential effects on groundwater and drainage are therefore central to the debate, along with questions about how construction would interact with the desert’s existing washes and landforms. Residents opposing the project say the consequences could reach beyond the property itself, affecting surrounding homes and working ranches that depend on the same fragile water system.

The opposition has developed its own organizing network. Steinbach and neighbor Jessie Sager created the Three Points Action Committee, known as 3PAC, a Facebook group where residents can share information and discuss the proposal. Steinbach has also posted drone footage there, showing the desert in its current condition. Community members have held their own meetings, and organizers are encouraging residents to continue learning about the project and making their views known. Information about future meetings is available through saveroblesjunction.com.

Repsol’s proposal comes as Arizona continues to pursue large-scale renewable energy projects, creating a difficult local debate between the demand for new electricity and the protection of open desert. The company emphasizes the project’s potential to power tens of thousands of homes, provide construction employment and increase funding for public services. Residents in Three Points are asking whether those gains justify converting thousands of acres near their homes. For now, the project has brought neighbors together around a common message: they want their concerns about wildlife, water and the long-term identity of Robles Junction taken seriously before the desert is permanently changed.