The Maine Division of Environmental Safety is discussing whether or not to judge proposed photo voltaic farms primarily based on if the tasks will trigger fragmented habitats that limit the motion of wildlife.

Photo voltaic builders at the moment must adjust to numerous siting guidelines to attenuate potential harm to protected areas similar to wetlands, streams and vernal swimming pools. However conservation teams have been pushing the state to additionally take habitat connectivity into consideration, provided that extra and larger photo voltaic farms are being constructed that typically require the clearing of lots of of acres of forest.

Conserving key forest blocks protects biodiversity and offers species the pathways emigrate, mentioned Eliza Donoghue, the director of advocacy and a workers legal professional at Maine Audubon, a wildlife conservation group. When habitats get damaged up, it will possibly make it tougher for animals to seek out meals, shelter and mates.

“We’re not suggesting that we should always cease the construct up of renewables. What we’re suggesting is that, when there are grid upgrades, we plan for these developments and create incentives and a construction that enables builders to arrange in good places,” mentioned Samantha Horn, the director of science at The Nature Conservancy in Maine.

Photo voltaic builders, nonetheless, expressed concern about presumably utilizing habitat mapping in approving their proposed tasks. They have already got a rigorous approval course of, and reviewing websites for habitat fragmentation would solely make it tougher and lengthier, they mentioned.

Habitat maps “might create unintended penalties and doubtlessly limit areas of growth that had been in actual fact acceptable and appropriate for a photo voltaic challenge,” mentioned Chris Byers, the proprietor of Department Renewable Power, an organization that develops photo voltaic tasks and offers consulting providers.

In July, Naomi Kirk-Lawlor, the senior planner on the commissioner’s workplace of coverage inside the Maine Division of Environmental Safety, proposed utilizing habitat maps to find out if photo voltaic tasks would fragment forest in a approach that might threaten native species.

In sharing the idea with the Board of Environmental Safety, she proposed making use of habitat mapping solely to the allowing of smaller, 20-to-50-acre, photo voltaic tasks that meet the division’s standards for having low affect.

The proposed rule wouldn’t change the regulatory framework for bigger, presumably higher-impact tasks. Kirk-Lawlor mentioned the rulemaking hasn’t formally began and couldn’t present a timeline for when the division will resolve whether or not to make use of habitat maps in its allowing course of.

Members of the Maine Renewable Power Affiliation, a corporation that represents renewable energy producers, say they’re confused in regards to the proposal and don’t have readability from the division but on what the rulemaking round habitat connectivity would entail, Government Director Jeremy Payne mentioned.

“I don’t suppose there’s any resistance to having dialogue round habitat connectivity, however we simply don’t suppose it needs to be part of the allowing course of,” Payne mentioned.

Photo voltaic growth is, for probably the most half, low affect.

In contrast to many sorts of growth, it doesn’t require as a lot grading apart from related amenities or roads, mentioned Marybeth Richardson, appearing bureau director for the Bureau of Land Assets on the Maine Division of Environmental Safety. Some photo voltaic growth can even result in erosion, sedimentation issues or lack of habitats, she mentioned.

“The problem is knowing that the state of Maine needs to extend its renewable vitality capability but in addition that there’s lots of different environmental results that would end result from these tasks, and they don’t seem to be all the time good,” Richardson mentioned. “It’s a fragile steadiness.”

Maine’s largest photo voltaic farm, which has gotten state allow approval and is starting development, is projected to be 926 acres. Situated in Kennebec County, the Three Corners Photo voltaic Undertaking will generate sufficient electrical energy to energy about 30,000 properties annually, in accordance with the Massachusetts-based developer, Longroad Power.

Noah Charney, an assistant professor within the division of wildlife, fisheries, and conservation biology on the College of Maine, independently reviewed the challenge’s utility paperwork and analyzed totally different on-line habitat maps. Although the land would require clearing, it was beforehand logged.

The event will seemingly disrupt the connection between wetlands and forests within the space, Charney mentioned, but when he had to decide on a forested website for photo voltaic growth, it will be one which’s been beforehand logged like this one.

Nonetheless, habitat mapping is extra important for bigger photo voltaic farms, Charney mentioned, and the state shouldn’t restrict the software to small-scale, low-impact websites.

“I might suppose that mapping for bigger websites is as essential if no more essential,” he mentioned.

Do you could have questions or observations about photo voltaic farms close to you? Please electronic mail Mehr Sher at msher@bangordailynews.com.

Mehr Sher is a Report for America corps member. Further assist for this reporting is supplied by the Unity Basis and donations by BDN readers.

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