Bighorn Solar in Colorado. Credit: McCarthy Building Cos.
The Colorado Renewable Energy Siting Coalition, made up of six conservation and environmental groups, has welcomed the introduction of a study bill that will examine current pathways for siting utility-scale renewable energy projects and assess the impact of these facilities on wildlife and communities to evaluate.
Sponsored by Senator Chris Hansen and Senate President Steve Fenberg, SB24-212 requires the Colorado Energy Office, in collaboration with the state departments of Local Affairs and Natural Resources, to develop a repository of model codes and regulations for renewable energy projects and for Colorado Parks and Wildlife to create habitat maps showing high priority and best management practices specific to the impacts of renewable energy technologies.
The goal is to provide frameworks that local and tribal governments can consider and adapt to evaluate local energy resources. The study bill would require the state Commission on Energy and Carbon Management, upon request by local or tribal governments, to provide technical assistance in the development or revision of proposed local codes for renewable energy generation projects and energy transmission projects. The State Division of Parks and Wildlife should also provide similar support upon request and assist governments in identifying high-priority wildlife habitats and project-specific impacts based on the best available science. In addition, the Colorado Energy Office must submit a report to the Legislature by June 30, 2025 evaluating local government processes, whether reasonable pathways exist for renewable energy siting in areas with suitable wind and solar energy resources , and the impact of renewable energy projects on wildlife and their habitats.
Beginning in late 2022, the coalition reviewed policies from across the country and engaged a diverse group of stakeholders with the goal of developing a viable renewable site policy proposal to accelerate the deployment of wind and solar energy projects while reducing damage to important habitats, wildlife in the wild and community. values.
The study legislation, introduced in April, includes several key priorities identified in the coalition’s stakeholder engagement, including: updating high-priority wildlife maps to identify where renewable projects will have an impact; reviewing community benefit agreements; respecting tribal rights in the Brunot area; and providing technical support to provinces.
The rapid expansion of sustainable energy projects faces several challenges. An increase in local development bans and restrictive zoning regulations creates uncertainty in permitting and siting energy projects, jeopardizing the state’s decarbonization goals. It is essential to ensure that there are reasonable opportunities to deploy renewable energy to achieve our national objectives while protecting our natural heritage and community values.
To meet energy production goals set by Governor Jared Polis that call for the transition to 100% renewable energy generation by 2040, as well as goals set by the state legislature, Colorado must expand wind and solar energy projects expand significantly on a utility scale. A recent study from the Colorado Energy Office found that the state needs to triple wind energy and increase solar energy fivefold by 2040 to achieve these goals.
Coloradans widely support renewable energy when these projects are built in accordance with the values of the state’s people. According to the annual State of the Rockies Conservation Poll in the West, 82% of Colorado voters surveyed believe more emphasis should be placed on preserving wildlife migration routes over new development in those areas; About 78% of Colorado voters surveyed believe we can both increase clean energy production while preserving natural areas, wildlife habitat and the character of our communities.
Members of the Colorado Renewable Energy Siting Coalition, which includes Audubon Rockies, Clean Air Task Force, Conservation Colorado, The Nature Conservancy, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Western Resource Advocates, issued the following statements:
“We know that to achieve its ambitious clean energy goals, Colorado must rapidly increase renewable energy development across the state. Today’s bill is a critical step forward in meeting this challenge while ensuring new developments do not worsen threats to wildlife,” said Severiano DeSoto, Energy Sites Policy Advisor at the WRA. “Local and tribal governments will be able to leverage the added expertise and resources of a number of government agencies to ensure that communities can lead development in a way that balances local values, preserves vital wildlife habitat and in a way that meets clean energy needs. responsible, science-based manner.”
News release from Western Resource Advocates