From certain places on Darrel Sweet’s ranch near Altamont Pass in California's Diablo Range, the world looks no different than it did 150 years ago. Wildflowers blanket the hillside. A ranch dog named J.J. chases squirrels across a muddy dirt track. Cows stand near a cattle pond, looking out at a range of rolling hills that seem to act as a bulwark against time.
But from one of the ranch’s hilltops, it’s clear that much has changed. Towering wind turbines dot every mountain. To the west are sprawling developments in Dublin. To the south, the suburban center of Livermore.
“When you’re in downtown Livermore, you’d think this place is all developed,” Sweet said. “But it’s not.”
