Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wants To Hear From You

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working on creating Solar Development Guidelines and updating the 2009 Wind Power Guidelines to help guide the responsible development of large-scale solar and terrestrial wind energy projects in Washington. These guidelines are essential for minimizing the impacts of renewable energy projects on wildlife and habitats. The key elements that will be included in these guidelines are: 

Guidance for Responsible Siting: 

• Recommendations for the appropriate location of industrial renewable energy facilities to avoid or minimize impacts on wildlife and habitats. 

Pre-Permitting Actions: 

• Specific actions that developers should complete before obtaining permits, such as: 
  • Conducting wildlife and habitat surveys. 
  • Developing vegetation management plans. 
  • Creating mitigation plans with WDFW's input to ensure wildlife and habitat impacts are minimized. 

Construction and Operation Best-Management Practices: 

• Guidelines for best practices during construction and operation to further avoid or minimize impacts on wildlife and habitats. 

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These guidelines are meant to provide a clear framework for developers, environmental consultants, and other stakeholders to follow, ensuring that renewable energy development is done in an environmentally responsible manner. Community feedback is being collected here until November 2024, with the final documents expected to be published in early 2025.