Solar power generation facilities are becoming a vital part of our country’s work to expand our energy options. Louisiana, with its legacy as a power generating state, is already working to take advantage of technological advances and legislative changes to continue to grow our power generating position.
However, the development of these large power generating facilities is outpacing Louisiana’s land use guidelines, leaving most guidelines up to parishes who have limited resources to put together requirements such as property line setbacks or considerations for wildlife and fisheries in site development.
The state legislature is working on the challenge and held a full-day hearing on Aug. 22, 2024 through the Joint House committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development and the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment to gather concerns, challenges, benefits, and best practices for large scale solar development.
Louisiana Wildlife Federation applauds the legislative action taken so far, much of which has been brought forward by members of these committees, to ensure that future solar development is done in ways that protect our valuable wildlife and fisheries legacy.
Rebecca Triche, executive director of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, testified before the committee highlighting the importance of having stakeholders involved in the early stages of facility planning and the need for co-beneficial use of these sometimes very large sites to include native plantings, agriculture, pollinators, wildlife, and fisheries.
As with any large-scale development, each project will include localized concerns that can best be outlined by local people since it is impossible to have a one-size-fits-all design for our varied landscapes across the state.
Best practices around development, planning, and siting for these facilities continue to evolve, but some general themes are emerging.
- Community and stakeholder buy-in is vital. The Louisiana Wildlife Federation’s more than 11,000 members represent a large stakeholder group with varied interests from hunting and fishing to hiking and bird watching. As pointed out in the report earlier this year in the solar toolkit produced in a partnership between the Center for Planning Excellence and the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources as well as last month’s white paper from LSU’s Institute for Energy Innovation, leaving stakeholders out of the planning process can cause pushback and conflict.
- Siting, operation, and management of solar facilities are vital considerations when examining impacts on wildlife and fisheries in the state. In some areas, it might be appropriate to follow a more integrated approach that combines certain farming practices and/or land management that brings together diverse plant life, pollinator habitat, and wildlife considerations. In other situations, siting might be most appropriate on unused land such as being planned in New Orleans on a former superfund site or as shade cover for expansive parking lot areas.
- Wildlife and fisheries considerations will also be on a case-by-case basis through the consideration of numerous aspects including:
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- Minimizing habitat fragmentation
- Avoiding sensitive habitat areas or areas with species of concern
- Avoiding impacts to streams and wetlands
- Prioritizing locations of degraded lands and avoid productive farmland
- Reducing barriers to wildlife movement through unfenced passageways or wildlife-friendly fencing practices
- Providing habitat on site through vegetation diversity, the use of native vegetation and avoiding unnecessary vegetation clearing
- Avoiding or minimizing impacts in Important Bird Areas
- Identifying any species of concern in the area and developing a plan to avoid impact
- Reducing potential impact to migratory birds through burying lines where possible, or co-locating collector and generation tie lines, use avian-safe pole designs
- Lighting around and in facilities should be limited to safe operation and be shielded or pointed downward to avoid attracting birds and bats
- Developing a vegetation management plan
- Encouraging the development of multi-use operation for facilities whenever possible including agrivoltaics (agriculture + solar), providing pollinator habitat with reduced mowing and herbicide application, and considering wildlife in the area with application of wildlife friendly fences or other measures
Proactive planning and partnerships between project developers, federal and state agencies, and communities will ensure that solar developments into the future not only helps diversify Louisiana’s energy producing culture, but also meets the needs of resource users such as the more than 11,000 Louisiana Wildlife Federation members who hunt, fish, bird watch, or enjoy sportsman’s paradise.
We look forward to continuing to work with this committee and regulating agencies as more detailed regulations for solar development in the state move forward.
The Aug. 24, 2024 committee meeting is HERE with Triche’s comments starting at 2:36:08
There are a number of resources available for the development of best management practices available including a short resource list HERE.