Species Conservation Banking as a Tool for Mitigating the Impacts of Wind Energy: Opportunities and Challenges

Conservation banks are permanently protected lands that contain natural resource values. These lands are conserved and permanently managed for species that are endangered, threatened, candidates for listing as endangered or... [ view full abstract ]

Conservation banks are permanently protected lands that contain natural resource values. These lands are conserved and permanently managed for species that are endangered, threatened, candidates for listing as endangered or threatened, or are otherwise species-at-risk (e.g. raptors).

Conservation banks function to offset adverse impacts to these species that occurred elsewhere, sometimes referred to as off-site mitigation. In exchange for permanently protecting the land and managing it for these species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) approves a specified number of habitat or species credits that bank owners may sell (FWS 2012).

Species Conservation Banking is a conservation tool that is increasingly being utilized for listed and at-risk species, with a large preponderance of those banks occurring in California (105 of 141) and Florida (11). The number of banks permitted has risen from 4 in 1995 to 141 in 2015. In comparison, the number of wetland banks has risen from 32 in 1995 to 1,300 in 2015. Opportunities exist for mitigating impacts on bald and golden eagles, migratory birds, at-risk species (e.g. greater sage-grouse, raptors) and listed species (e.g. bats) that are impacted by wind facilities. Recent strategies, policies and memorandum have been issued by the Secretary of Interior, FWS, and President, respectively, encouraging the use of mitigation banks and guidelines for their establishment. The Bureau of Land Management is developing mitigation guidance. The US Forest Service is expected to have final mitigation regulations and directives by November 2017. Challenges to and opportunities for establishing and implementing banks, such as those listed below, will be discussed.

Opportunities:

• Under-utilized conservation tool
• Provides economic incentives for landowners to create a viable income to support their conservation practices while also continuing species compatible land use practices
• Landscape scale mitigation provides better species conservation
• Greater flexibility for project proponents to mitigate (e.g., power pole retrofits currently one of the only mitigation options available)
• Expedited compliance process
• Pre-construction & post-construction monitoring provide metric by which to scale mitigation in species conservation banks

Challenges:

• Lack of awareness of applicability as a tool
• USFWS use of conservation banking tool – lack of staff knowledgeable about banking and/or time to participate in bank development
• Determining basis of Credits for different species (ex. Bald and golden eagles)
• Establishing Service Area of banks
• Banks for species impacted by wind - Limited geography
• Lack of regulatory authority for issuance of migratory bird take permit
• Lack of specific guidance at a national level, potentially leading to inconsistency & uncertainty; but simultaneously providing flexibility in implementation. Guidance in development.

Relevant Examples will be presented.




Literature Cited:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2012. Conservation Banking: Incentives for Stewardship