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Developers say they coordinated with Colorado Parks and Wildlife but residents press wildlife and visual-impact concerns
Summary
Morning Sky Power said it has consulted Colorado Parks and Wildlife and plans wildlife-friendly fencing, corridors and CPW-recommended measures; residents raised concerns about sagebrush, sage-grouse habitat, fence height and visibility from homesteads and county roads.
Developers told meeting attendees they have coordinated with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and intend to follow CPW's recommendations "to make sure that we have minimal impacts on wildlife." Andrew Krieger and members of the environmental and engineering teams described wildlife-friendly fencing, wildlife corridors and efforts to place panels in less visible parts of the terrain.
Several residents disputed the scope of those protections, asking how removal of sagebrush and installation of eight-foot agricultural fencing could avoid impacts to species such as sage-grouse and disrupt local habitat. "How do you put in the solar panels? You have to take out the sagebrush. Where do the sage grouse live in? They live in the sagebrush," Nanette Peters said, calling for clarity about habitat disturbance and reclamation accountability.
The developers acknowledged there could be some effects and said they intend to minimize them under CPW guidance, add corridors for big game and design seed mixes and vegetation plans with regional specialists. They also committed to sharing more detailed site plans and to follow county permit requirements that will include environmental studies and permit-level mitigation measures.
