Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Eliza Cava, Conservation Associate, Renewable Energy & Wildlife

How do we help advance solar and wind energy projects that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also protecting sensitive wildlife and their habitat?

As wind development grows in places like Oregon and Idaho, coordinated landscape-scale planning for both renewable energy and conservation can help us find the best places to build wind farms while protecting and improving habitat for pronghorn and other wildlife. (©Larry Andreasen)

We know that traditional energy sources like oil, gas and coal pose great risks to wildlife, be it from oil spills, habitat destruction or the release of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. But what about renewable energy, like solar and wind?

These are an essential part of reducing the pollution that comes from our energy use. But their size and how they function can have a huge impact on wildlife and their habitat. So, how can we develop these renewable energy resources without sacrificing wildlife?

The answer, as the saying goes, is “location, location, location.”

Traditionally, energy developers and land managers have picked project sites by focusing on the available energy resource; thinking about how those projects might affect natural resources and wildlife was an afterthought. But this way of doing business inevitably leads to delays, uncertainty, and conflict when developers discover after the fact that sensitive, threatened, or endangered wildlife may be on the site.

That’s where we come in.

Planning ahead for solar energy development in the desert Southwest can allow us to develop solar projects in the right places while protecting essential habitat for the Desert tortoise. (©Beth Jackson/FWS)

Defenders and our partners are working to change this paradigm in ways that reduce the potential for conflicts with wildlife while still permitting responsible renewable energy development to go ahead in the right places.

It starts with a landscape-scale analysis of energy potential and wildlife conservation priorities using many of the mapping tools and technologies currently available from state and federal wildlife agencies and non-profit conservation organizations. This allows energy developers to identify areas of potential energy-wildlife conflict and avoid them.

Next, developers can attempt to minimize wildlife impacts by adjusting the project’s scope or the way in which the project will be operated (e.g., installing radar to detect when birds are migrating through an area and shutting down wind turbines to reduce the likelihood of collisions).

Finally, when facing unavoidable impacts, developers can offset them by purchasing or restoring habitat or contributing funds to a “mitigation bank” from which proceeds can be used to protect other lands that will benefit the wildlife and habitats impacted by the project. The idea is to ensure that lands and habitat acquired or restored will make up for the lands lost or disturbed by the energy project.

Combined, these mechanisms for dealing with the potential risks posed by a project are referred to as the “mitigation framework.” And, they are the means by which we can produce renewable energy without sacrificing sensitive lands and wildlife in return.

Defenders is developing and promoting this approach on many fronts. Last June, Defenders and our partners hosted a workshop on mitigation policy in Washington, DC. Leaders from the conservation community, energy industries, and state and federal agencies gathered to discuss the latest techniques and tools in mitigation and how to continue to improve their use. We followed that up this spring with another workshop at the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources conference in Arlington, VA, where Defenders and others led a series of panels and presentations on landscape-level planning and mitigation.

Panoramic view of the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone in southern Nevada’s Mojave Desert. (©BLM)

In between these two conferences, we have been working on using the mitigation framework to improve the planning and placement of individual solar and wind projects, and we participated in a series of groundbreaking workshops led by the Bureau of Land Management to define the first Region-wide Mitigation Plan for one of the solar energy zones identified by the Department of the Interior in their western solar plan. We helped Argonne National Laboratory develop a new data mapping tool for understanding and reducing wildlife conflict in transmission line planning, worked with the Arizona BLM on its first-of-a-kind Restoration Design Energy Program to identify and avoid places of high conflict across the landscape, and we continue to participate in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan process in California.

As our country further embraces renewable energy, the question of how it affects wildlife and habitat will continue to be key, and Defenders is committed to promoting a landscape-scale approach to planning for energy and wildlife conservation in key areas. Remember: “location, location, location…” By using existing science and mapping technologies, we can work with the solar and wind energy industries to help them build better projects – better for wildlife and better for them because reducing conflicts with wildlife increases the likelihood that projects get built in less time and at lower cost. That, in turn, means that more clean energy is available to meet our nation’s energy needs and less dirty energy is needed. And that will benefit us all, particularly sensitive wildlife already threatened by a warming planet and increasing habitat loss.

A massive wind energy project with turbines similar to these proposed for the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California threatens golden eagles and endangered condors.

BREAKING: Conservation groups challenge North Sky River wind project.

A controversial wind-energy project threatening endangered California condors and golden eagles in California is the target of a federal lawsuit filed today by the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Sierra Club against the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.

Before turning to the court, the conservation groups met several times with the developer, asking that the some 100-turbine North Sky River wind project be redesigned to avoid known environmentally sensitive areas in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains and to include measures to reduce harm to at-risk bird species. However, the project is proceeding without these necessary changes.

Sprawling across more than 12,700 acres, the project’s alarming potential for impacts to rare and endangered species prompted warnings from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game in letters to Kern County supervisors, who approved zoning changes to accommodate the project. The North Sky River project is sited next to another wind farm – Pine Tree – that has a history of bird kills, including at least eight federally protected golden eagles in just over two years. The environmental review of the North Sky River project documented more than 50 golden eagle sightings and 14 nests within just 10 miles of the proposed site.

Golden eagle

In August 2011, the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote: “The first full year of fatality monitoring [for the Pine Tree Wind project] resulted in an estimated 1,595 fatalities per year, which per megawatt (11.8 fatalities/megawatt) is among the highest fatality rates being recorded in the nation…It’s reasonable to estimate that the proposed [North Sky River] project would have avian fatality rates equal to or greater than those observed at the adjacent Pine Tree Wind Facility.”

Additionally, the California Department of Fish and Game said the “combination of highly suitable habitat features on site, the known historic condor occurrences in the area, and recent condor activity nearby lead the Department to conclude that Condors will utilize the Project area in the near future and be at risk from turbine strikes.”

The conservation groups are concerned that the BLM discounted these dangers to rare and endangered species in granting the developer, NextEra, permission to build a new transmission line and improve an access road to the proposed site across public lands. The groups’ lawsuit contends that the BLM violated federal law by focusing only on the threats from the power line and road, while entirely ignoring the expected harm from the massive wind development itself. The groups are asking the court to stop the project and require the BLM to complete a thorough review before allowing construction to move forward.

The groups have a successful track record of working with renewable-energy developers to reduce threats to wildlife and the environment, facilitating the permitting of some 2,600 megawatts of clean energy since 2010. But unlike the many renewable energy developers who have modified their projects to lessen harm to wildlife, NextEra has failed to change the North Sky River project to sufficiently reduce the risk to condors, eagles and other bird species.

Following are statements from representatives of the conservation groups presenting the lawsuit:

Kim Delfino, Defenders' California program director.

“NextEra Energy and the Bureau of Land Management have thrown caution to the wind with the North Sky River project by ignoring the evidence of high rates of bird kills at the nearby Pine Tree wind energy project,” said Kim Delfino, California program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “NextEra had the opportunity to reconfigure the project to reduce the risk to endangered California condors and golden eagles. We’ve been left with no alternative, but to resort to legal action to prevent further harm to one of rarest animals in the country.”

“BLM shirked its responsibility to fully evaluate impacts to California condors and other rare species from the North Sky River project,” said Ileene Anderson, biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Properly sited and designed wind energy can be implemented without unnecessarily killing off rare birds and bats.”

“Building another poorly designed wind project adjacent to one that’s under investigation for numerous eagle deaths just doesn’t make sense,” said Barbara Boyle, Sierra Club senior representative in California. “This project is right in the pathway of California condors moving back into their historic range in California.  There is a better way—we need to locate these projects where they will pose fewer risks and have a better chance for success.”

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.”

Turbines like these produce clean electricty by catching the wind, but can harm birds if put in the wrong locations.

BREAKING: Conservation groups told the Kern County Board of Supervisors today that a large-scale wind-energy project proposed for the southern Sierra Nevada needs to go back to the drawing board and be redesigned to avoid risks to endangered California condors, golden eagles and other rare bird species.

The groups filed a legal challenge in Kern County Superior Court in California, seeking to reopen the environmental review for the 100-plus-turbine wind project approved by the county last month.

“This wind project highlights the urgent need for a smart-from-the-start renewable energy strategy that guides development away from sensitive wildlife habitat to places with the lowest chance for conflicts,” said Kim Delfino with Defenders of Wildlife. “The proposed site is in an important bird migration corridor and isn’t an ideal place for large-scale wind energy, as evidenced by the impacts nearby wind projects have already had on imperiled birds. Despite our inability to reach an agreement with NextEra Energy, we are open to working with the company to reconfigure the project to minimize harm to sensitive wildlife. With changes, we believe the project can move forward.”

Kim Delfino, Defenders' California program director.

The conservation groups remain hopeful that the project can be redesigned to avoid the most sensitive areas, greatly reduce the risk to California condors and golden eagles, and provide enhanced mitigation measures such as requiring the use of radar to monitor for incoming flocks of birds so that turbines can be shut down in time to avoid massive collisions. The groups have met several times with the developer prior to filing the lawsuit, but have yet to resolve these concerns.

“We need more clean energy from well-planned and carefully sited renewable energy projects that both utilize proven technology and avoid harm to sensitive wildlife and their habitat,” said Barbara Boyle with the Sierra Club. “Unfortunately, the North Sky River wind project does not meet these requirements. It unnecessarily presents a significant threat to endangered and sensitive species, including the California condor, golden eagle, southwestern willow flycatcher and sensitive bat species.”

The project consists of two components: North Sky River, by NextEra Energy, and the much smaller Jawbone project, by a private landowner. The project area is in the middle of a flyway regularly traversed by migratory birds. California condors were also documented flying near the project site this summer.

The wind energy project puts endangered California condors at risk.

“There’s plenty of room in the state for both wind projects and the California condor to thrive,” said Ileene Anderson, a biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “But if condors and wind turbines are going to coexist, those turbines need to be sited carefully and measures have to be taken to minimize the risk that condors will be killed. Unfortunately, this project fails to do that.”

The proposed project is directly north of the Pine Tree Wind project, which is under federal investigation for killing at least six legally protected golden eagles. More than 50 sightings of golden eagles were made, and some 15 golden eagle nests found, within 10 miles of the North Sky site during an environmental review of the project. The alarming potential for impacts to rare and endangered species prompted warnings from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game in letters to the county supervisors.

The Fish and Wildlife Service wrote: “The first full year of fatality monitoring [for the Pine Tree Wind project] resulted in an estimated 1,595 fatalities per year, which per megawatt (11.8 fatalities/megawatt) is among the highest fatality rates being recorded in the nation…it’s reasonable to estimate that the proposed project would have avian fatality rates equal to or greater than those observed at the adjacent Pine Tree Wind Facility.”

This wind project highlights the urgent need for a smart-from-the-start renewable energy strategy that guides development away from sensitive wildlife habitat to places with the lowest chance for conflicts.

Kern County officials approved the project despite the warnings from wildlife agencies and conservation groups, allowing the project to move forward without having to undertake sufficient conservation measures to offset or minimize impacts on wildlife.

Turbines like these produce clean electricity by catching the wind.

In releasing its new report, “21^st Century Government:  A Simpler, Smarter Regulatory System,” the Obama administration highlighted its “smart from the start” approach to large-scale renewable energy development on public lands.

While the Obama administration has made progress – more than any previous administration – in advancing clean energy development, it is essential that lessons learned from initial efforts to develop renewable energy be used to develop a smarter approach moving forward.

In reality, the administration’s efforts to promote clean energy development have not been as smart as they could and should be. And they have been slow to start. In all fairness, the oil spill

disaster in the Gulf of Mexico last year diverted enough energy and expertise among key agencies in the federal government, including the White House, to slow progress on the clean energy front. You can see the irony here, of course, since building a clean energy economy is essential to reducing our oil dependency. But that excuse is gone now, and the Obama administration is focused on accelerating responsible renewable energy development.

Related: Learn more about Defenders’ work to make renewable energy wildlife-friendly.

But the slow progress in clean energy development can’t be blamed solely on the Obama administration. A real roadblock to clean energy development has been the lack of certainty that Congress will commit essential funding for renewable energy projects. For years, Congress has shown consistent support for oil and gas companies. Last year, for example, it gave nearly $4 billion to the oil industry in tax breaks and incentives. In contrast, there’s never been this same long-term commitment to renewable energy.

The Obama administration’s efforts to promote clean energy development have not been as smart as they could and should be.

Short-term stimulus funding provided a needed boost for clean energy research and development. But compared to the permanent “incentives” for oil and gas development, the time-limited, support for renewable energy projects is totally inadequate.  Grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy projects will run out again the end of this year. And this is bound to bring about another rush to get projects done, which leads to hurried planning and analysis of impacts on water, wildlife and the environment.  Only the Congress can fix this problem — as the administration has encouraged them to do.

A Solar Energy Strategy

For its part, the U.S. Department of the Interior is working to put in place a process for solar development that would get good projects done faster and more cost effectively. We’re urging

A solar power plant like the one above can cover several thousand acres with fields of mirrors.

the Interior Department to make the program truly Smart from the Start. That means starting with good planning and project siting. Developing projects in areas where conflicts with wildlife, wild lands, and other important natural and cultural resources are minimal — making the probability of success that much higher — is clearly smart.  Even better, these projects should be close to transmission lines (or places where transmission lines are likely to be) so that the power generated can be delivered without having to build new, expensive transmission corridors. This is smart, too. And even better would be to recycle landscapes that have already been damaged like old mines or worn-out farm lands – that way a solar power plant can give new life to already degraded lands and minimize impacts on pristine places and wildlife habitats.

Of course, not all impacts can be avoided in all places, so a means to mitigate unavoidable impacts is needed as well. BLM policy is to protect sensitive wildlife and improve habitats for threatened and endangered species. Smart planning, especially if done at a larger, landscape level, instead of on a project-by-project basis, can improve the likelihood that impacts will be avoided, minimized and mitigated where necessary.

Up Front Environmental Studies Needed

Finally, if a means can be found to do much of the environmental review and analysis ahead of time for the places best suited for clean energy projects, it would help speed up planning,

Some of the best places for the threatened desert tortoise habitat are also prime for solar energy.

permitting and construction. This isn’t complicated either. It simply requires coordination between government agencies, developers and other stakeholders. That way we can ensure that any unanticipated and unintended impacts of a project are identified early and minimized and mitigated.

The Obama administration is on the right track in proposing to be Smart from the Start as it encourages clean energy development and promotes a clean energy economy. But to be successful and smart, it needs to keep things simple. Put projects in the right places, mitigate any unavoidable impacts, and streamline the processes required to ensure that clean energy gets permitted and built in an environmentally sound and efficient way. That’s a 21^st century strategy based on old-fashioned common sense.

Although the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded not even a year ago, claiming 11 lives and setting off the worst oil disaster in U.S. history, Congress has launched a major push for more drilling.

BREAKING: President Obama’s speech today touting efforts to rein in foreign oil consumption comes amid a major push in Congress for more high-risk domestic drilling and weaker environmental safeguards.

Defenders of Wildlife, however, is calling on the Obama administration and Congress to focus less on dirty, fossil fuel production and more on safe, renewable energy development.

The following is a statement from Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife:

“Thankfully President Obama is confronting our addiction to oil. While we don’t agree with everything the President said today, particularly his short-term plan to ramp up new domestic drilling and suggestions that this could include frontier areas in Alaska, he has a long-term plan for diversifying energy sources, improving energy efficiency and transitioning to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

“This stands in stark contrast to the members of Congress who are solely focused on helping their Big Oil buddies continue to make obscene profits while most Americans struggle to pay rapidly rising gas prices.

Thankfully President Obama is confronting our addiction to oil. This stands in stark contrast to the members of Congress who are solely focused on helping their Big Oil buddies continue to make obscene profits while most Americans struggle to pay rapidly rising gas prices.

“The Obama administration is taking some right and necessary steps to reduce our long-term dependence on foreign oil. But a key element that was missing from today’s speech was a reaffirmed commitment to accelerating the development of environmentally-responsible renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal today. In the long term, these are the only truly secure and reliable sources of energy we have.

Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen

“Responsible, sustainable and secure energy development can only be achieved if we’re smart from the start. With the right policies in place, we can improve transportation, reduce prices at the pump, and still power our homes and cities. We can do so without sacrificing clean air, drinking water, wildlife, and the health of our planet and its people. We need to not only reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but also transition away from dirty, polluting fuels altogether. It is the only responsible thing to do.”

More Details

• President Obama outlined federal efforts to reduce dependence on foreign oil and diversify energy sources, including renewable energy and efficiency in a speech today
• The speech comes as a flurry of measures are being introduced in Congress this week to ramp up domestic drilling – including new areas in the Gulf of Mexico, Arctic Ocean, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and sensitive Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters
• Congressional proposals are also seeking arbitrary exemptions for offshore drilling that would force the Interior Department to act on all new applications for wells – including those like the Deepwater Horizon – within an unrealistic 30-day deadline, which would likely result in hasty, insufficient reviews
• Defenders of Wildlife calls on the Obama administration and Congress to focus less on dirty, fossil fuel production and more on safe, renewable energy development

Read up on the President’s proposal.

Learn more about Defenders’ work to protect American coasts from offshore drilling disasters.

Defenders envisions a clean energy future that’s smart from the start. Learn more>>