Solar Arrays on Idaho Big Game Habitat?

Joelweb

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Hey guys- I don't normally post this stuff here, but this is important. On Tuesday, February 6, your voice is needed at a Bureau of Land Management meeting on the Boise State University campus where the BLM will discuss a proposal for utility-scale solar energy development on public lands in Idaho.

February 6, 2024, 5:00-7:00 p.m. MST
Boise State University
Jordan Ballroom Student Union Building
1700 W University Drive
Boise, Idaho 83725


The plan allows for solar development across a total of 1.47 million acres of BLM-managed ground in Idaho, a move that could have broad impacts to deer, pronghorn, and other huntable species such as sage grouse and Hungarian partridge.

While most of the proposed acres do not conflict with priority big game habitat, the preferred alternative allows for extensive development in four mapped pronghorn and deer migration routes in southcentral and southwest Idaho, including over 24,000 acres in the Pioneer Mountain mule deer migration, which offers some of Idaho’s highest quality buck hunts in units 44 and 45. The potential solar development would also impact the Mountain Home (102,051 acres), Owinza (264,793 acres), and Gooding (60,244 acres) pronghorn migrations. Importantly, the majority of the development areas are located in winter range—a limiting habitat for these big game populations—the loss of which will have disproportionate adverse impacts.

The TRCP asks you to consider participating in Tuesday’s public meeting and to provide comments in-person or online to ensure that solar energy is developed responsibly on BLM-managed lands in a manner that conserves important wildlife populations and big game habitat.

Request that the BLM protect big game migration corridors from solar development. Check out the migration maps below. More information coming for other states.

Boise Twin Falls Area BLM Draft Solar PEIS Alternative 3 with Mule Deer Pioneer Reservoir Herd...png Boise Twin Falls Area BLM Draft Solar PEIS Alternative 3 with Pronghorn Gooding Herd Migration...png Boise Twin Falls Area BLM Draft Solar PEIS Alternative 3 with Pronghorn Mountain Home Herd Mig...png Boise Twin Falls Area BLM Draft Solar PEIS Alternative 3 with Pronghorn Owinza Herd Migration ...png
m
 
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I hadn’t heard of this open house. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Every one of the guys complaining about mule deer numbers better be there or at the very least, send comments in.
 
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Hey guys- I don't normally post this stuff here, but this is important. On Tuesday, February 6, your voice is needed at a Bureau of Land Management meeting on the Boise State University campus where the BLM will discuss a proposal for utility-scale solar energy development on public lands in Idaho.

February 6, 2024, 5:00-7:00 p.m. MST
Boise State University
Jordan Ballroom Student Union Building
1700 W University Drive
Boise, Idaho 83725


The plan allows for solar development across a total of 1.47 million acres of BLM-managed ground in Idaho, a move that could have broad impacts to deer, pronghorn, and other huntable species such as sage grouse and Hungarian partridge.

While most of the proposed acres do not conflict with priority big game habitat, the preferred alternative allows for extensive development in four mapped pronghorn and deer migration routes in southcentral and southwest Idaho, including over 24,000 acres in the Pioneer Mountain mule deer migration, which offers some of Idaho’s highest quality buck hunts in units 44 and 45. The potential solar development would also impact the Mountain Home (102,051 acres), Owinza (264,793 acres), and Gooding (60,244 acres) pronghorn migrations. Importantly, the majority of the development areas are located in winter range—a limiting habitat for these big game populations—the loss of which will have disproportionate adverse impacts.

The TRCP asks you to consider participating in Tuesday’s public meeting and to provide comments in-person or online to ensure that solar energy is developed responsibly on BLM-managed lands in a manner that conserves important wildlife populations and big game habitat.

Request that the BLM protect big game migration corridors from solar development. Check out the migration maps below. More information coming for other states.

View attachment 667137 View attachment 667138 View attachment 667140 View attachment 667141
m



Thanks for bringing this up. I went to submit my comments online (I’m not local) but couldn’t figure out where to. Does the online comments not open until the 6th?


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TVW

Lil-Rokslider
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225 views on a thread that has a call to action that can actually help save some Mule Deer in Idaho.

9,000+ views on the thread bitching about the future of Mule Deer in Idaho.
 
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225 views on a thread that has a call to action that can actually help save some Mule Deer in Idaho.

9,000+ views on the thread bitching about the future of Mule Deer in Idaho.
On a side note, did you see the legislation to free up sabots, pelletized powder and 209 primers ?
 
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TVW

Lil-Rokslider
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On a side note, did you see the legislation to free up sabots, pelletized powder and 209 primers ?

Yes.

Hate it for a couple reasons.

I'm pretty much against any changes to the Muzzleloader Regs, I think they are fine how they are.

But I am ADAMANTLY against the Legislator getting involved with season setting etc. slippery slope there.
 
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Yes.

Hate it for a couple reasons.

I'm pretty much against any changes to the Muzzleloader Regs, I think they are fine how they are.

But I am ADAMANTLY against the Legislator getting involved with season setting etc. slippery slope there.
They will completely blow up muzzy seasons if this moves forward. Agreed on legislators having any say in IFG business. Set the budgets and go home.
 
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225 views on a thread that has a call to action that can actually help save some Mule Deer in Idaho.

9,000+ views on the thread bitching about the future of Mule Deer in Idaho.

I agree but at the same time I asked a question how I can leave online comments and no one provides support/answers in time


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TVW

Lil-Rokslider
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I agree but at the same time I asked a question how I can leave online comments and no one provides support/answers in time


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I too ran into a dead end following the Online link.

So I just reached out to IWF to make sure they were aware and had someone attending the meeting. They were, not surprisingly, already on it.
 
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I too ran into a dead end following the Online link.

So I just reached out to IWF to make sure they were aware and had someone attending the meeting. They were, not surprisingly, already on it.
I don't always agree on their stance, but I pay my dues every year. IWF and Brian do a decent job of keeping us on the front.
 
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Wrench

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Aug 23, 2018
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WA
Yes.

Hate it for a couple reasons.

I'm pretty much against any changes to the Muzzleloader Regs, I think they are fine how they are.

But I am ADAMANTLY against the Legislator getting involved with season setting etc. slippery slope there.
100%

That's what happened to Washington.....then we voted on wildlife management and wildlife lost.
 
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Joelweb

Joelweb

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Sorry. I've been traveling and am just now getting back to this thread. To comment online, go to this link and click one of the participate now links in the middle: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022371/530

No worries! I apologize, I must be totally missing it. I’ve registered for the virtual meeting but I still can’t figure out where to leave online comments??

EDIT: I clicked on the quote box circled in red (see below pic) and then it took me to the 4 participate now buttons. I left a comment on each of the participate now buttons. Thank you for the heads up

ff4f16fcb5dcb6639aa5c4dd25088c76.jpg




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TVW

Lil-Rokslider
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Dec 12, 2023
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Location
Idaho
Solar belongs on rooftops, not our quickly shrinking open lands.

That's kinda my stance.

Shouldn't we have the roof of every commercial building and warehouse in the Treasure Valley covered in solar before we start plowing under Public Land?

I'm sure other places like Mtn. Home, Twin Falls etc. etc. have enough sunshine and huge buildings to make it worth it there too.
 
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