SAGEMAP

Sage Grouse
Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
[Photograph: Karen Steenhof,
USGS Snake River Field Station]

SAGEMAP is a portal for spatial data used in research and management of sage grouse and sagebrush steppe habitats in the western United States. It provides data encompassing the historical extent of sage grouse distribution in the Intermountain West. These data are used by state and federal agencies to develop an objective assessment of the current status of sage grouse populations and their habitats across the region. SAGEMAP is a project supported by the U.S. Geological Survey and NBII.

Western Renewable Energy Zones and Transmission

WREZ Phase 1 Map [Image: Western Governors
WREZ Phase 1 Map
[Image: Western Governors' Association and U.S. Department of Energy]

The Renewable Transmission Energy Project is an initiative of the Western Governors' Association (WGA) and the the Western Interstate Energy Board to analyze how best to develop a Western regional market and transmission grid for high quality renewable energy resources in the Western Interconnection. The transmission planning process and analyses will consider impacts to wildlife and water resources to increase the long-term viability of selected transmission plans.

The current plan builds on the Western Renewable Energy Zones (WREZ) Initiative, a joint project of the WGA and the U.S. Department of Energy. The WREZ Phase 1 Report completed in June 2009, brought together diverse interests, information, and analytical tools to identify areas in the Western Interconnection for potential development of renewable energy resources with low environmental impacts. GIS layers used in this Phase 1 Report can be viewed and downloaded by logging on to the NREL WREZ GIS portal (Username: wrez and Password: guest).

Habitat Impacts

Each of the various renewable energy sources can impact wildlife habitat through construction of power production facilities and the associated infrastructure, such as transmission lines, and access roads. Sometimes local ecosystems can be altered or damaged at a landscape level, as is the case with certain dams or areas planted for biofuel crops. Renewable energy sources have many benefits as cleaner, more sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel derived energy. However, none of them are without ecological costs that must be considered.

Biofuel production can have detrimental environmental effects, such as fertilizer and pesticide runoff and infiltration, which can alter the chemical composition of waterways and soil in local habitats. Additionally, terrestrial habitat loss or alteration may result when land cover is changed in order to plant crops.

Geothermal energy production facilities can displace wildlife during construction, and have the potential to pollute waterways or local habitat in the event that toxic material by-products from within the earth are released at the surface.

Hydropower sources, such as dams and tidal energy facilities, can impact fish habitat and migration routes. Some dams are built with fish ladders or side channels to allow fish to continue to travel upstream and downstream safely. The installation of dams can also affect the water temperature above and below the dams, as well as the stream morphology, chemistry, and turbidity. Instream habitats and nearby terrestrial habitats may be affected by hydropower projects.

Solar energy development on a large scale may require the construction of fences, roads, solar arrays and other alterations to the land's topography, all of which can affect and fragment wildlife habitat. Large amounts of land are required for solar energy development, which can also result in wildlife habitat displacement or loss.

Wind energy development has similar effects to solar power development, with associated habitat fragmentation due to land alteration as well as fence and road construction.


West-wide Energy Corridors on Public Lands

Electric towers at sunset [Photo: Warren Gretz, NREL]
Electric towers at sunset
[Photo: Warren Gretz, National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Photographic Information eXchange Collection]

The U.S. Department of Energy, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of Defense prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate issues associated with the designation of energy corridors on federal lands in eleven Western states. The Draft PEIS was issued in Fall 2007 and the Final West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS was made available in Fall 2008.

Visit the West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS Information Center for more information about the PEIS, Record of Decision, and Final PEIS maps of energy corridors. To find out about potential designation of energy corridors in 37 eastern states, and in Hawaii and Alaska, visit the East-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS Information Center.

Resources on Renewable Energy and Wildlife Habitat
Showing 10 of 51 ( Show All )

Species Spotlight

Greater sage grouse [Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]
Greater sage grouse
[Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]

Greater Sage Grouse
Centrocercus urophasianus

Description: The greater sage grouse is a large bird that can grow up to 30 inches long and two feet tall, and can weigh up to seven pounds. This is a ground-dwelling, round-winged bird that has legs feathered to the base of its toes, and has a long pointed tail. Males have white necks and air sacks on their breasts that they inflate to attract females, who are usually smaller in size.

Life History: Males puff up their air sacs for display on breeding grounds known as "leks". Females visit these leks to mate, and then raise the young without help from the males, who play no role in raising the young. The same leks are often used for many years. Although many males may display at a lek, only one or two males are picked by the females for mating.

Habitat: Are found in sagebrush habitat at elevations between 4,000 and 9,000 feet. Feed exclusively on sagebrush during the winter.

Distribution: Found in many western U.S. states including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, California, and in parts of Canada including Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Status: The traditional breeding grounds, or leks, are vital to the reproductive success of the greater sage grouse. Currently, these leks are being threatened as a result of nonrenewable and renewable energy development as well as grazing, invasive species, and wildfires. It has been found that the grouse will avoid their leks if there is a disturbance such as a road or well within a few miles. Also, oil and gas development has historically led to die-offs of the grouse. As of March 2010, the species is currently not listed as endangered, but is on a list of candidate species that is reviewed annually.

Resources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Las Vegas Sun News

BIOS Renewable Energy Viewer

[Image: BIOS Renewable Energy Viewer]
[Image: BIOS Renewable Energy Viewer]

The BIOS Renewable Energy Viewer has information about renewable energy in the state of California, including locations of biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind energy projects, as well as species habitat information, including areas of significant environmental concern, shown relative to other geographic features in the state of California, all available through this interactive mapping application.

This BIOS viewer as well as the BIOS Habitat Connectivity Viewer were created using datasets collected by the California Department of Fish and Game and partner organizations.

The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Program of the U.S. Geological Survey
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