Wildlife & Energy
The Need: A major hurdle for the successful siting and development of renewable energy projects in Nevada is the need to determine what wildlife impacts will be incurred and what proper mitigation is for those disturbances. In some cases, wildlife issues become a serious stumbling block, perhaps even causing a project to fail, and this often happens after a project proponent has committed significant resources towards a project. With an impact fee, the Nevada Department of Wildlife would be able to establish a permanent office dedicated specifically to addressing wildlife impacts from proposed energy development.
2011 Legislative Session Recap: Our organization has been a leader in facilitating meetings between the renewable energy industry and conservations when it comes to the successful siting and development of renewable energy projects in Nevada. One major hurdle is the need to determine what wildlife impacts to habitat and species will be incurred and what proper mitigation is for those disturbances. With the status of the sage grouse as warranted, but precluded under the Endangered Species Act, it is incumbent upon the state to make proactive steps to enact management plans to prevent a listing and it’s associated impacts on industry.
AB 307, sponsored by Assemblyman David Bobzien (Reno), proposed an up-front fee that an energy company would pay in order to cover the costs incurred by the Nevada Department of Wildlife in reviewing projects to determine their impact on wildlife populations. Over the course of the session, NCL worked with Assemblyman Bobzien along with the Governor’s Office, state agencies and energy companies to craft a bill that will allow for NDOW to receive cost recovery for the time and money they expend to review project plans. The bill will also create opportunities to leverage this new funding for matching dollars to put on the ground to improve habitat.
AB 307 was signed into law on June 15th. The passage of this bill is a landmark for clean energy and wildlife, noted as the first “Smart From the Start” law passed on the state level to ensure that all parties are working hand in hand to bring renewable energy online in the most responsible manner.
