Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Drilling in the Arctic Ocean poses grave threats to America's vanishing polar bears. Photo courtesy USFWS

America’s polar bears are struggling to survive — with biologists predicting they could disappear in just a few short decades. But Big Oil uses your tax dollars to drill in key polar bear habitat.

Sea turtles, dolphins and other Gulf Coast wildlife paid the price of the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster. Yet Big Oil still spends your tax dollars on pursuing more risky drilling in the Gulf and other coastal waters.

Today, the U.S. Senate could vote to end the $4 billion in taxpayer giveaways to Big Oil – but we need your voice to make it happen.

Please call your U.S. Senators today at the numbers below to urge them to support the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act — and end billions of dollars in Big Oil giveaways. 

Just deliver this quick message:

“My name is (NAME) and I live in (STATE) and I’m calling to urge my Senator to support the Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act (S. 2204) being voted on today. I want my tax dollars to be invested in clean, renewable energy — and not be used to prop up polluters’ profits.”

Then please tell us about your call. This important step will help track responses from across the country so we can follow up with your lawmakers.

A vote could come as soon as TODAY – Please call now!

Gulf Coast wildlife paid the price of the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster.

From 2001 to 2011, the top five Big Oil companies raked in more than $1 trillion in profits. But these companies continue to receive $4 billion each year in taxpayer subsidies. With rising gas prices and a fragile economy, why should American taxpayers prop up polluters’ profits? 

Tell your Senators enough is enough! Call now to urge them to end the $4 billion in wasteful taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil.

It seems simple: Instead of putting our polar bears, sea turtles and other wildlife at risk, our tax dollars should be used to invest in long-term, clean energy solutions that will end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels — and put us on a course toward a cleaner, safer energy future.

But as much as this legislation makes sense, passing this bill will not be easy. The oil industry has already shown its reach in this Congress, slipping harmful measures into legislation that would hand over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, our coastal waters and other natural treasures to Big Oil’s dirty drills.

Please call today and deliver a loud, clear message to your Senators: It’s time to end Big Oil’s subsidies — and invest in a cleaner energy future.

One quick call can make a big difference for our wildlife and wild places.

Learn more:

Read what Defenders’ president Jamie Rappaport Clark has to say about Big Oil subsidies and what Congress should do to redirect this country to a more sustainable energy future on National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts Blog.

The new guidelines encourage "smart from the start" wind-energy development.

BREAKING: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released today voluntary guidelines for wildlife and wind energy development. 

The guidelines could improve on how wind energy development is done today — encouraging the use of the best available scientific information and early public engagement in a project’s planning phase, as well as post-construction wildlife monitoring and a comprehensive strategy for mitigating unavoidable impacts.

“Wind energy is an important part of our clean energy future, but to fully realize the benefits of wind power, projects have to be built in the right ways and right places to avoid and minimize their impacts on wildlife,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, Defenders’ president and CEO. “If implemented correctly, these guidelines will become part of a larger approach that encourages renewable energy companies to be ‘smart from the start’.”

The guidelines apply to private and public lands, imperiled wildlife (like many bat species) not already protected by the Endangered Species or Migratory Bird Treaty acts, and habitats not under FWS’ jurisdiction – lessening the likelihood that wind energy projects will further threaten species in decline.

“Responsible wind energy development means requiring strong standards for protecting wildlife and their habitats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s wind energy guidelines are a good first step,” she said.

Defenders of Wildlife sat on the federal advisory committee – comprised of scientists, industry representatives, state and federal agencies, tribes, conservation organizations and others – whose recommendations formed the foundation for the new guidelines.

“These guidelines were developed after lengthy discussions with scientists, conservation organizations, wind industry representatives, tribes, state wildlife agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Wind-energy developers who choose to follow the voluntary guidelines will have more certainty that their projects can move forward,” Clark said.

BLM aims to guide utility-scale solar power plants to public lands with least chance of harming wildlife.

BREAKING: On the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union remarks to expand clean energy development, the Interior Department is moving to finalize the nation’s first solar energy program for public lands with the closing of the public comment period.

Over the past 90 days, the Bureau of Land Management has been seeking input on the Supplemental Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) for solar development on public lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

The solar plan has garnered more than 100,000 comments in the past two years from stakeholders across the country advocating for balanced, guided development that would minimize potential impacts on wildlife and sensitive lands, and reduce uncertainty in permitting. Solar companies, major trade associations, utilities and conservation groups also submitted a joint letter to Interior with recommendations to help shape a successful solar program.

Following are statements from conservation groups and other stakeholders in support of guided solar development:

“We are at a critical juncture in the future of solar development on our public lands,” said Chase Huntley, Director of Renewable Energy Policy at The Wilderness Society.  “We have seen a tremendous amount of leadership from staff at the Department of the Interior to ensure we develop a strong solar program. Over the next few months we hope to see them finalizing a plan that strikes a balance between wildlands and wildlife protection while creating certainty and a level playing field for the solar industry.”

The Interior Department’s proposed solar program focuses on producing power in low-conflict and no-conflict zones and offers the best opportunity to achieve this goal. This zone-based approach is an important step toward producing energy in the right places and protecting sensitive public lands and wildlife. -Jim Lyons, Defenders’ senior director for renewable energy

“It’s time to kick our addiction to polluting fuels and create new jobs by increasing clean sources of energy,” said Johanna Wald, senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Interior’s intention to guide development to thoughtfully designated ‘solar energy zones’ will help ensure the success of the solar industry and our nation’s quick transition to a clean energy economy while protecting irreplaceable lands and wildlife. Reaching that balance is a tall order but Interior has provided strong leadership demonstrating that a comprehensive final solar program can be achieved.”

Solar projects must be carefully designed to avoid desert bighorn sheep habitat.

“If the Obama administration is to reach the goal of powering three million homes with clean energy by the year’s end, it must move quickly to put in place a smart solar energy program that speeds up permitting of projects. The key is to guide development away from conflicts with wildlife and natural resources to areas with access to transmission,” said Jim Lyons, Senior Director for Renewable Energy with Defenders of Wildlife. “The Interior Department’s proposed solar program focuses on producing power in low-conflict and no-conflict zones and offers the best opportunity to achieve this goal. This zone-based approach is an important step toward producing energy in the right places and protecting sensitive public lands and wildlife.”

As a solar investor, I believe the biggest advantage of the zones approach is reducing uncertainty in permitting. By doing so, it will reduce risks and attract long-term investments for projects that will create jobs and help advance our nation’s clean energy goals. — Nancy Pfund, founder and managing partner at DBL Investors

“Properly designed solar energy zones on public lands would be a major step forward in helping create an enduring and stable investment environment for the solar industry,” said Nancy Pfund, founder and managing partner at DBL Investors. “As a solar investor, I believe the biggest advantage of the zones approach is reducing uncertainty in permitting. By doing so, it will reduce risks and attract long-term investments for projects that will create jobs and help advance our nation’s clean energy goals.”

“The Bureau of Land Management’s latest solar energy plan is a major step forward in achieving the multiple goals of efficient solar development and protecting our water, wildlife and magnificent western landscapes,” said Timothy Hay, former Nevada consumer advocate and public utility commissioner. “By establishing clearly defined zones for solar energy development, we can begin to provide investors, developers, conservationists and citizens the predictability and stability to move forward.”

Desert tortoise benefit from smart planning of solar power projects.

“Well-designed solar energy zones will result in faster permitting and speedier construction of projects,” said Jonathan Foster, a director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) in California. “Interior’s approach to guide solar development to appropriate areas strikes the right balance between protecting critical lands and wildlife, and providing greater certainty for project success – and should be supported by solar developers, environmentalists, and the public at large.”

“The solar industry is up to the task of meeting the President’s goal for dramatically expanding our rich solar resources in the Southwest,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association.  “However, project developers need clear rules of the road that balance the need for flexibility to build solar power plants both inside and outside of designated Solar Energy Zones with responsible stewardship of public lands, resources and wildlife. These are not mutually exclusive objectives and we look forward to continuing work with stakeholders.”

A 847-mile long transmission line could deliver wind energy generated off the East Coast to cities up and down the eastern seaboard.

WASHINGTON—The Interior Department announced plans yesterday to review a proposal for  an 847-mile long transmission line capable of delivering some 7,000 megawatts of wind energy generated off the Atlantic coast to the grid.

The proposed Offshore Atlantic Wind Connection transmission line would link up to offshore wind energy areas off Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. Interior will announce the locations of these wind energy areas next month.

Defenders of Wildlife advocates for “Smart from the Start” clean energy development, where projects and transmission lines are guided to low-conflict areas and avoid and effectively mitigate unavoidable impacts to wildlife.

Defenders will be reviewing the plan to ensure that it protects key habitat for the endangered right whale, important flyways for migratory birds and habitat for other sensitive  wildlife.

The following is a statement from Jim Lyons, Defenders of Wildlife’s senior director for renewable energy:

“Defenders of Wildlife supports renewable energy that is ‘Smart from the Start’ and is part of a comprehensive strategy for offshore wind energy, which includes transmission.

“The Atlantic coast  offers  significant clean energy potential that can help shift our nation away from dangerous and dirty fossil fuels and offshore drilling. But the key to wind energy’s success is developing wind projects and  transmission lines in low-conflict areas and operating them  to avoid harming sensitive wildlife and habitat.

Right whales are critically endangered.

“Some of these offshore waters are critically important to endangered right whales and other important wildlife species.  We will be reviewing the proposed route to determine if the project can be permitted efficiently and with greater certainty for developers, investors, and conservationists by avoiding and effectively mitigating unavoidable impacts on right whales and other imperiled wildlife.”

A photovoltaic array.

TUCSON, Ariz. – Defenders of Wildlife praised the first large-scale solar power plant approved to be built on public lands in Arizona today, calling the Sonoran Solar Project a shining example of how collaboration among the solar industry, conservation groups, agencies and the local community leads to “Smart from the Start” renewable energy development.

“The way in which this project was planned sets the standard for future projects,” said Matt Clark, Defenders of Wildlife’s Southwest representative. “Both NextEra and the Bureau of Land Management listened to the public’s concerns regarding the project’s water consumption and impacts on wildlife and sensitive lands in the Sonoran Desert, then came up with significantly improved alternative that is a win-win for people and the environment.”

Background:

Project developer, NextEra Energy, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management avoided the conflicts and slowdowns that have plagued some other large-scale renewable-energy projects by soliciting early public input, and by working closely with conservation groups and the community to substantively address legitimate concerns with the initial project proposal.

Desert tortoise benefit from smart planning of solar power projects.

The company initially proposed building a 375-megawatt solar thermal power plant, a technology that draws heavily on groundwater to generate electricity. The power plant would have likely deprived local communities and wildlife of already scarce water supplies in the arid region. Defenders and other conservation groups flagged this problem during the project’s initial public comment period, and the BLM and NextEra responded by redesigning the project with solar panels capable of generating as much as 300 megawatts of clean energy, using 98 percent less water. Because the project site is located near the Sonoran Desert National Monument, visual and auditory impacts were also important considerations. The project’s switch from solar thermal to photovoltaic technology significantly reduced both visual and auditory impacts, protecting the wild character of the nearby monument.

The way in which this project was planned sets the standard for future projects. -Matt Clark

The company also reduced the project’s footprint by more than 1,600 acres, lessening its impact on wildlife and habitat. In addition, this site includes several important elements of “Smart from the Start” development: It has excellent solar resources, is close to existing transmission lines capable of delivering the energy to nearby cities, and has limited conflicts with wildlife and other natural resources.

Learn more about Defenders’ work on renewable energy.

Defenders landed a big win for sea otter conservation.

It’s been a busy year for Defenders’ California office, but the hard work has resulted in a huge payoff for the Golden State’s wild ones. Here’s a recap of some key state successes:

Sea otter fund saved

Sea otters are threatened with extinction, but thanks to Defenders, an important lifeline keeping these charismatic marine mammals afloat remains intact.

We helped lead the charge to reauthorize the California Sea Otter Fund, which has collected more than $1 million over the past five years in donations from California taxpayers for scientific research and sea otter conservation. The critical fund was set to expire at the year’s end unless the California Legislature acted fast.

Defenders worked with Assemblyman Bill Monning and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to sponsor legislation (AB 971) reauthorizing the tax check-off fund for up to another five years.

We promoted the program through newspaper, TV and radio interviews, and public service advertisements featuring Philippe Cousteau, which were broadcasted on the airwaves and World Wide Web. The result: Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law on Sept. 1.

That ought to keep otter fans everywhere smiling.

Shark-finning: A fading fad?

Blue shark, courtesy of Mark Conlin, NOAA.

The brutal practice that sees millions of sharks killed solely for their fins each year may soon become a thing of the past–at least in California, the largest market for fins outside of Asia.

Hopefully, the fin ban (AB 376) will help to curb the growing appetite for shark fin soup, a traditional Chinese delicacy once enjoyed primarily by a small, privileged class that’s now become an international status symbol served up at special occasions such as weddings and business dinners.

What’s worse is that overfishing has caused some shark populations to plummet by as much as 99 percent, and many shark populations worldwide are in distress.

But beginning in the new year, the ban will come into effect in the Golden State, phasing out the selling and trading of fins over the next year and a half–making 2013 the year of the shark.

Harvesting the sun’s energy

Damaged croplands could have a second life as solar farms.

There’s no more debate: Climate change is real and it’s happening in a big way. And experts agree that we must quickly transition to clean energy sources, such as the sun and wind, to avoid the worst impacts of a warming world on people and wildlife alike.

But renewable energy projects can also carry a high price tag for the environment if they’re not designed to avoid destroying habitat or harming imperiled wildlife, like desert tortoise or golden eagles.

That prompted Defenders and a coalition of conservation and agriculture groups to work together to pass a new law (SB 618) aiming to make it easier and less expensive for renewable-energy developers to build commercial-scale solar power plants on degraded farms.

The idea is to drive development away from sensitive habitat on public lands and prime agricultural lands–all the while, giving damaged croplands a second life as solar farms.