At the moment the Bureau of Land Administration (BLM) launched the latest version of the Western Photo voltaic Plan, which can decide the place and the way utility-scale PV photo voltaic is sited and permitted on public lands throughout 11 states. The up to date proposal improves on the preliminary draft and strikes a clearer steadiness between photo voltaic power growth and wildlife conservation.
“Greater than 300 species of birds use America’s public lands throughout their life cycle, and plenty of of them face important vary loss and extinction until we fight the local weather disaster with a fast growth of unpolluted power. The BLM’s revised Western Photo voltaic Plan advantages each local weather and conservation by clarifying the place photo voltaic PV growth ought to and mustn’t go on public lands, and the way it needs to be developed to guard necessary cultural and pure sources,” mentioned Garry George, senior director of local weather technique on the Nationwide Audubon Society. “We look ahead to absolutely reviewing the doc to offer extra enter to BLM.”
Audubon filed detailed feedback and joined a conservation coalition recommending enhancements to BLM’s Photo voltaic PEIS with a concentrate on avoiding and minimizing impacts to birds by prioritizing undertaking growth on degraded lands which have little conservation worth, in addition to siting near transmission to keep away from lengthy electrical distribution strains as a lot as attainable.
Audubon scientists discovered that two-thirds of North America’s bird species are threatened with extinction from local weather change. Transitioning to scrub power is required to keep away from the worst local weather impacts for birds and folks. Greater than 300 hen species use America’s public lands throughout their life cycle, together with Larger Sage-Grouse, Sandhill Cranes, and Burrowing Owls.
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About Audubon:
The Nationwide Audubon Society protects birds and the locations they want, as we speak and tomorrow. Audubon works all through the Americas utilizing science, advocacy, schooling, and on-the-ground conservation. State applications, nature facilities, chapters, and companions give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches hundreds of thousands of individuals annually to tell, encourage, and unite numerous communities in conservation motion. A nonprofit conservation group since 1905, Audubon believes in a world during which individuals and wildlife thrive.
Contact: Megan Moriarty, megan.moriarty@audubon.org