The Sagebrush Cooperative

Management Issues:Energy Development

There are many issues affecting management of the NW High Desert sagebrush steppe. Degraded habitats, altered disturbance regimes and invading weeds have been recognized as challenges, while climate change and energy development are currently emerging issues with potentially negative impacts on sagebrush steppe.

Geothermal development

Geothermal resources overlap much of the sage steppe habitat within the scope of the Sagebrush Cooperative. Areas of particularly high development potential are primarily located throughout the central and eastern regions of Oregon and western Idaho. For decades, hydrothermal reservoirs have been used in Oregon for direct heating applications in residences, municipal buildings, businesses and community facilities, bathing and spa facilities, commercial greenhouses, fish farms, snow-melting, and agricultural processing (US Department of Energy 2009). New direct heat projects are continually being proposed and the potential to generate electricity from geothermal energy is also being pursued in Oregon as promising hydrothermal resources have been identified at several sites. Geothermal leases for the Crump Geyser site, located in the Warner Valley in south-central Oregon, have been secured by a private developer. The potential for power production at Crump Geyser has been estimated at 85 megawatts — enough to supply approximately 85,000 typical households. Other resource areas that may hold significant potential for power plant development in sage steppe habitat are Malheur River, and Vale, Oregon (US Department of Energy 2009).

The popularity and awareness of renewable energy sources such as wind and geothermal have been increasing over the last decade as concerns over the emission of greenhouse gases associated with traditional forms of energy development, dwindling supplies of oil and dependence on foreign oil imports have increased. However, despite the benefits of renewable energy, the sensitivity of sage steppe habitat to the disturbances associated with these developments should be considered. Like gas, oil, and wind energy development, geothermal development has the potential to discourage occupancy by sage-grouse and fracture habitat into patch sizes unsuitable for sage steppe-obligate wildlife species. Potential problems unique to geothermal development include ground subsidence and changes to hydrological connectivity. For instance, the endangered Borax Lake chub, a fish endemic to a hot spring in southeastern Oregon, is dependent upon the rare aquatic conditions of Borax Lake. Geothermal development adjacent to the Lake could potentially cause fluctuations in the temperature or water level of the lake, rendering it unsuitable for the fish.

Wind energy development

Information on the effects of wind energy development on sage steppe dependent species is largely lacking, although studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of other types of energy development with activities and infrastructure similar to wind development on sage-grouse specifically. Previous research has shown that breeding sage-grouse in oil and gas fields avoid development, experience higher rates of mortality, or both (Holloran 2005, Kaiser 2006, Aldridge and Boyce 2007). Additionally, sage-grouse avoid energy development in otherwise suitable habitats in winter (Dougherty et al. 2008). Accumulating evidence of the impacts of energy development in sagebrush-steppe ecosystems extends beyond that of sage-grouse. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) have been found to avoid otherwise suitable habitats near gas wells (Sawyer et al. 2006) and densities of Brewer’s sparrow (Spizella breweri) and sage sparrow (Amphispiza belli) declined near dirt roads in gas fields (Ingelfinger and Anderson 2004).

Although potential future development of oil and natural gas resources is a concern in much of the Intermountain West sage steppe, habitats within the scope of the Sagebrush Cooperative will be less impacted by this type of development. Of greater concern is the development of renewable energy sources such as wind. The National Energy Policy established in 2001 encouraged the development of renewable energy sources including wind, solar, and geothermal energy sources. Public lands in the western United States have significant potential to produce energy from wind power. Specific environmental concerns associated with wind energy development are direct habitat loss and fragmentation associated with turbines, roads and power lines, increased predation, increased human accessibility of intact habitat, transportation of invasive species, noise produced by turbine rotor blades, and bird mortality resulting from turbine blade impact (Connelly et al. 2004).

In order to mitigate some of the negative effects wind turbines could have on sensitive wildlife, wind energy facilities should be designed to reduce habitat fragmentation and mortality to sage-grouse. Use of tubular tower designs to reduce raptor perches and noise reduction to minimize disturbance to nesting birds is encouraged (BLM 2004).