Pronghorn were already present within portions of the landscape southeast of Yerington, Nevada, before plans for the Libra Solar Project were finalized.
Environmental surveys later documented their presence within the project area.
The Libra Solar Project was ultimately permitted in Mineral County, southeast of Yerington near the Lyon County line.
This solar project features a 700-MW solar generating facility and a 700-MW battery energy storage system.
However, wildlife was already part of the conversation.
Wildlife was already utilizing the very same landscape.
Existing movements shaped the review process
Environmental assessments documented wildlife within the project area.
Pronghorn were among the species identified within the project area.
These travels were relevant because the project’s footprint coincided with areas animals were already utilizing.
Pronghorn do not remain at a single location throughout the year.
They migrate based upon changes in the environment.
They also depend upon their ability to traverse large tracts of open space.
That created an essential consideration during the planning process of the project.
Planners needed to take into account existing animal movements.
The preferred plan for the project reflected that need.
During the evaluation of the project, reviewers assessed how wildlife was already utilizing the area.
They also assessed habitat conditions and how future development could potentially impact animal movement across the site.
Ultimately, the project plan accounted for these previous patterns rather than ignored them.
A continuous fence was not the preferred outcome
Utility-scale solar projects are typically surrounded by fences to promote operational safety.
Fences can also provide barriers where none previously existed.
For species that migrate great distances, this barrier potential can become a problem.
Wildlife movement and corridor considerations formed part of the project’s environmental review and mitigation planning.
That decision reflected the presence of conditions on the ground prior to construction.
Pronghorn were not expected to suddenly begin appearing after construction occurred.
They were identified within the project area during environmental review.
Development required consideration of wildlife movement
The environmental assessment primarily addressed how existing animal movements could continue to occur post-development, as outlined by the Bureau of Land Management.
Wildlife corridors are often referred to in terms of conservation areas and/or migratory routes.
In this instance, they became part of a renewable energy development project.
The preferred configuration for Libra attempted to reduce conflicts between infrastructure and animal movement.
Open corridors allowed wildlife to continue moving through parts of the project area, according to the Libra Biological Resources Technical Report.
The same question is likely to return elsewhere
Libra highlights a challenge that is becoming increasingly common across the West.
Renewable energy projects utilize large swaths of land.
Many species of wildlife utilize those same lands as well.
As new renewable energy projects undergo environmental assessment processes, this type of overlap between land uses is likely to increase.
While habitat loss will always remain an important consideration, disruptions to historical and current animal migration routes should be given equal weight.
A species may continue to persist within an area even though it may be negatively impacted due to alteration of historically used routes.
That is why movement corridors garnered attention during the Libra review.
The discussion surrounding Libra transitioned past discussions regarding only solar panels, batteries, and transmission lines.
It became a discussion about how development fits into a landscape already occupied by wildlife.
Wildlife was already part of the landscape
Pronghorn were documented within the project area prior to development.
The design acknowledged this fact by including open corridors that allowed for wildlife movement through the landscape being developed.
The challenge is unlikely to disappear.
Similar questions will arise as additional renewable energy developments are proposed across the American West.
Wildlife was already present.
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