MS Conservation Lands

<span style='font-family:&quot;Avenir Next W01&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next W00&quot;, &quot;Avenir Next&quot;, Avenir, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size:16px;'>In collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Natural Heritage Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) developed the Mississippi Solar Siting Tool to provide stakeholders the general guidance necessary to reduce potential adverse impacts to sensitive habitats and species in Mississippi when siting proposed solar energy projects. The purpose of the map is to assist solar energy developers in screening environmentally sensitive areas compared to areas where lower environmental impacts are anticipated. The decision framework is similar to that described in the Service’s 2012 Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines (Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines), particularly during Tiers 1 (Preliminary Site Evaluation) and 2 (Site Characterization); whereas Tiers 3-5 involve field studies to predict and monitor impacts. Environmental risks include direct impacts (e.g., from construction or clearing, loss, fragmentation, or degradation of habitat, displacement or behavioral changes), and indirect impacts (e.g., increased predator populations). The assigned risk categories and corresponding colors in the map represent the Service’s estimation of the relative environmental risk to species of concern and sensitive habitats within an area. Regardless of the environmental risk associated with a particular area, solar developers should coordinate with the Service and other appropriate Federal and State agencies and follow guidelines to inform the siting and development of any proposed solar energy project.</span>