On June thirtieth, a historic Joint Assertion of Settlement was signed on the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) Annual Assembly to strengthen coordination on transmission planning throughout the Intermountain West. This bipartisan Settlement marks a serious milestone for the area’s vitality future. It additionally displays a shared dedication to modernizing the electrical grid so it might probably ship inexpensive, dependable energy whereas supporting the clear vitality transition and serving to handle the local weather disaster for birds and other people.
All through the method, Audubon labored alongside companions to assist inform the settlement and construct assist throughout the area by way of trusted relationships and science-based collaboration. As Audubon’s Birds and Transmission report lays out, local weather change is without doubt one of the biggest long-term threats to birds, and there’s no path to stabilizing the local weather with out dramatically altering how we generate and transport electrical energy. Considerate and early collaboration may also help be certain that infrastructure is deliberate and sited to keep away from, reduce, and mitigate impacts on birds and communities.
Whereas electrical energy does move throughout western state borders daily, transmission planning and allowing usually happen on a state-by-state and agency-by-agency foundation. This uncoordinated and piecemeal improvement creates inefficiencies, stifles strategic regional improvement, and wastes an enormous quantity of useful wind and photo voltaic vitality potential. By supporting coordinated regional planning efforts throughout Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington, the Joint Statement of Agreement represents an essential shift towards regional coordination.
By means of the Settlement, governors in these 11 western states dedicated to supporting the Western Transmission Enlargement Coalition’s (WestTEC) technical analyses that present western states with a shared basis for figuring out transmission wants and alternatives over 10- and 20-year time horizons with the target of building a extra dependable and inexpensive regional grid. WestTEC’s members characterize a various set of teams and embody state and Tribal governments, utilities, planning our bodies, public curiosity organizations, and different stakeholders.
Recognizing the necessity to coordinate allowing throughout states to speed up the transmission buildout all through the West, the Settlement additionally established the Allowing Alignment & Coordination Process Drive (PACT). PACT will likely be a multi-state effort to enhance coordination amongst states and companies with respect to allowing for transmission building and extra well timed choices with higher environmental and group outcomes.
Increasing and modernizing the transmission grid is important to assembly rising electrical energy wants. Ongoing studies by the U.S. Division of Vitality make it clear that our present grid is unable to satisfy quickly rising shopper and business demand, whereas conserving vitality payments inexpensive for households and making certain reliability. As new clear vitality assets are developed, the grid should be capable to transfer that energy the place it is wanted. A stronger, better-connected transmission system additionally improves reliability, provides shoppers entry to a broader mixture of vitality assets that may assist stabilize electrical energy prices, and strengthens resilience throughout excessive climate and different disruptions.
This Settlement demonstrates what’s doable when states, conservation organizations, utilities, and builders work collectively early within the planning course of. As the USA continues to modernize and develop its electrical grid, collaborative regional approaches like this may also help guarantee new transmission initiatives ship inexpensive, dependable clear vitality whereas reflecting the wants of wildlife and communities. Audubon appears ahead to persevering with to work with companions to keep away from, reduce and offset impacts to birds and their habitats as we assist construct a grid that enables each folks and birds to thrive.
