Bill would provide funds to conservation projects
For Immediate Release
10/23/19
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Senate reintroduced their version of the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act today, providing support to the balance between future wind and solar projects and the protection of fish and wildlife resources.
The bill would direct royalty dollars to conservation projects, helping offset the impact from large wind and solar developments.
“Our public lands contain some of the best trout and salmon habitat in the country and as we develop these important renewable projects, we need to remember that even clean energy has its impacts,” said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “Solar and wind are now more cost effective than ever and that’s a good thing. But we must find balance that elevates the importance of conservation. This bill ensures fish and wildlife populations — and the communities that host these projects — are not overlooked. We’re grateful to the House and the Senate continuing to pursue this important bill.”
The bill would also provide funding to states and counties where the projects are located.
Utility-scale wind and solar projects are a growing presence on our public lands. These projects will help us move toward a clean energy future, but can take up large chunks of land for long periods of time, and may cause some unavoidable impacts on fish, wildlife and water resources and recreational access. The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act provides the conservation counterbalance to unavoidable impacts on our public lands.
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Trout Unlimited is the nation’s oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s trout and salmon and their watersheds. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and our blog for all the latest information on trout and salmon conservation.