PCW and TOTCO create significant wildlife conservation plan
March 5, 2010 – In line with its overall commitment to environmental protection, wind energy developer Power Company of Wyoming LLC has drafted and proposes to enter into a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances among PCW, The Overland Trail Cattle Company, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which incorporates a comprehensive Conservation Plan.
The CCAA and Conservation Plan commit PCW and The Overland Trail Cattle Company to implementing significant, long-term conservation measures on the 311,000-acre Overland Trail Ranch, which consists of a checkerboard of federal and non-federal lands.
The CCAA and Conservation Plan will guide conservation measures accommodating ongoing ranching and agricultural operations, including cattle grazing, and developing the proposed Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, while providing a net conservation benefit to the Greater Sage-Grouse, Northern Leopard Frog and Wyoming Pocket Gopher.
The draft plan identifies threats and conservation measures to achieve a landscape-scale, integrated conservation approach for these species across the mix of land ownerships.
“Power Company of Wyoming LLC intends to make its wind power project a best-practice example of responsible renewable energy development,” said Bill Miller, President and CEO. “Our investments of time, resources and expertise have yielded a comprehensive, science-based plan that will conserve the area’s Sage-Grouse and other species while allowing our wind energy project to move forward.”
The Conservation Plan complies with applicable state and federal rules and regulations, including Wyoming’s Stipulations for Development in Core Sage-Grouse Population Areas. These stipulations say that development may occur providing it will “not cause declines in Sage-Grouse populations.” The plan also shows that development can be done consistent with conserving Sage-Grouse and that PCW can reduce or eliminate threats through science-based conservation measures.
The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project is a 1,000-turbine wind farm to be located in Carbon County, Wyoming, on about 98,500 acres of the Overland Trail Ranch. Although renewable energy development is proposed on a portion of the ranch, it will result in less than 5 percent permanent disturbance, leaving more than 95 percent of the existing vegetation communities intact and dedicated primarily to wildlife management and conservation.
With the potential to generate 2,000-3,000 megawatts of clean energy, the wind project will ensure a reliable, cost-effective supply of renewable electricity and will generate hundreds of good jobs, millions of dollars in tax revenue and other economic benefits to Carbon County and Wyoming.
About PCW
Power Company of Wyoming LLC is a wholly owned affiliate of The Anschutz Corporation, a privately held company based in Denver. Through its affiliates, The Anschutz Corporation has been actively involved in the West for more than 70 years in the field of natural resource development. The Anschutz Corporation’s activity and investments in the energy field reflect a strong commitment to responsibly developing and managing natural resources. For more information, visit www.powercompanyofwyoming.com.
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BLM Wyoming cites PCW efforts in its BLM Fact Sheet about "ongoing collaborative sage-grouse conservation initiatives."
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BLM Environmental Assessments
From 2013-2015, BLM prepared two separate site-specific Environmental Assessments, both tiered to the project-wide Environmental Impact Statement completed in 2012. Review our archives of the BLM’s public scoping documents: