"Once the trees go through the shredders, they vanish," he said, showing a reporter an image of a small pile of brown dust left by the crews.
The solar energy farm won a controversial exemption from rules protecting Joshua trees four years ago after closed-door meetings between industry executives and state wildlife officials.
Residents fear the earth-moving work will increase the threat of valley fever - a fungal respiratory infection that is transmitted in dust.
Executives at Avantus say the company is following development rules set by the state and Kern County...
"I don't want another town to go through this," Richards said.
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