Getting in front of the clean energy curve
Governor orders renewable energy plans to consider wildlife conservation
Published on Nov 19, 2008 - 8:06:31 AM

By: Defenders of Wildlife

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Nov. 17, 2008 - With the stroke of a pen, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has set California on course to lead the nation in developing energy alternatives to coal, oil and other polluting fuels that contribute to global warming. The executive order issued today requires 33 percent of the state's energy to come from renewable sources by the year 2020.

"The Governor's order appears to strike a balance between the commendable goal of increasing renewable energy with the state's commitment to the conservation of its most sensitive wildlife and pristine natural lands," said Kim Delfino, the California program director for Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation organization that has been working with state and federal agencies, energy companies and other stakeholders to facilitate siting energy projects while still conserving wildlife and habitat.

The order addresses the mounting interest in developing renewable energy projects in California, particularly in the Mojave Desert. More than 130 solar applications are currently pending approval, including 72 applications seeking to develop more than 600,000 acres of the California desert with solar panels, fences, roads and other infrastructures. Under the new measure, state agencies may begin approving some of these projects through a new permitting process.

"While solar power could become key to reducing our dependence on energy that releases global warming gases, solar projects can have significant and harmful environmental impacts on California's wildlife if they are built in the wrong places," Delfino said.

Defenders and other conservation groups have recently raised concerns about some proposed large-scale solar projects because these projects, sited far from transmission lines, would fragment fragile desert landscapes. Defenders is hopeful that the new directive will address environmental concerns, setting up a balanced process that protects pristine lands and encourages projects to be pursued on already degraded lands, such as brownfields, abandoned agricultural lands or mining sites.

The executive order requires that officials with the California Department of Fish and Game make plans for protecting plants or animals that are struggling to survive before breaking ground on new projects. The guidelines are mandated by the Natural Community Conservation Planning Act, a cutting-edge regional conservation planning law.

Current solar technology requires thousands of acres to be scraped clean and wildlife fenced out. The destruction of important habitat will likely restrict wildlife from naturally migrating through the land - resulting in starvation, low reproduction and possibly causing a species to lose its foothold in the region.

Far from being a sterile, empty wasteland, the California desert provides refuge to the iconic desert tortoise, the bighorn sheep and the rare Joshua tree among dozens of other species, while also providing desert communities with many economic benefits.

"Defenders recognizes that the nation's energy needs are growing - and that our future depends on increasing energy conservation and finding sustainable alternative energy sources, freeing ourselves from dependence on foreign energy suppliers, and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels that contribute to global warming," Delfino said. "We support renewable energy and believe that solar energy has a future in the west. But it requires careful planning so that our energy future is balanced with the future of our wildlife. Defenders is committed to working with Department of Fish and Game and the California Energy Commission to help ensure that we achieve these goals."

Website: www.defenders.org

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