An Ecological Risk Assessment of Wind Energy Development in Eastern Washington

The Nature Conservancy

       

The Pacific Northwest has experienced rapid wind power development over the last decade, placing the state of Washington fifth in the nation for installed capacity. Wind energy plays a key role in achieving the state’s renewable energy portfolio standards while infusing rural economies with income and jobs.

But as the pace of development in the region accelerates, the effort to balance the benefits of wind with the need to protect scarce and valuable natural resources has grown more acute, particularly in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion in Eastern Washington where most wind resources are concentrated and more than half of native ecosystems have already been converted to other uses.

Using wind-sensitive species and ecosystems as risk elements, The Nature Conservancy mapped areas in Eastern Washington where wind power development appears to pose the least risk to biodiversity. The project entailed three steps: a wind power development potential suitability analysis, a rapid field assessment of windy areas and species mapping, and the creation of a conservation blueprint. This display highlights the first and third portion of the study. The blueprint is a first iteration. Future work will incorporate landscape connectivity issues and prioritize appropriate mitigation lands. The hope is that the wind industry and conservationists can work together to achieve the state’s green energy goals while protecting Washington’s natural heritage for future generations.

Courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.

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