How to make the Inflation Reduction Act protect birds, people from climate change

Aug. 16 will mark one year since President Joe Biden signed one of the most significant pieces of climate legislation in U.S. history. But without a concerted effort between conservationists and clean energy developers, the promise of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will fall short.

The IRA has already led to historic investments in renewable energy and clean energy technology, but despite its commitments to lowering emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, greenhouse gases are still on the rise — up 1.3 percent in 2022 from the previous year. Costs for solar and wind are dropping, and domestic clean energy manufacturing investment is soaring.

But the existing grid is not set up for a clean energy future, and a longstanding bottleneck with transmission deployment poses serious challenges as the infrastructure for delivering this energy must be increased.

Analysis shows that if the pace of transmission deployment remains unchanged, the IRA’s emissions reduction potential could fall by as much as 80 percent. It’s clear that urgent action is needed, but this action must be mindful of the surrounding environment and wildlife. Clean energy developers, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders must work together to rapidly upgrade the grid in ways that help stabilize climate while also protecting bird habitat.

I have seen this paradigm play out in my nearly two decades in conservation, where seemingly different groups of people, parties and ideals need to work together to deliver real change for mutual benefit. Having grown up in Texas and California, I recognize how differently our communities can view one another, and while spending the first part of my career with the National Audubon Society working on Capitol Hill, I’ve seen how those perceived differences can manifest themselves in our national policy debates.

However, through the communities with whom Audubon partners, I also have witnessed firsthand how much we have in common and how much we can accomplish when we bridge those perceived divides. Too many people don’t realize that conservation meaningfully spans conservatives and liberals through a shared love for birds. Now, as Audubon’s Chief Conservation officer, part of my role is to mobilize the nearly 2 million Audubon members towards climate solutions that protect birds and people, including responsibly sited clean energy.

Audubon’s new report, Birds and Transmission: Building the Grid Birds Need, is a call to action on this front. In fact, the research has shown that climate change is already having an impact on birds, and that two-thirds of bird species in North America will be at risk of extinction if we don’t slow the rate of global temperature rise. We must quickly transition to renewable energy to lower emissions and avoid the worst impacts of climate change for birds and people. To achieve this, we’ll need investments in an electric transmission grid with sufficient capacity and flexibility to reliably power a transition to clean energy. 

Action is urgently needed to effectively double or even triple the current grid’s transmission capacity, but it’s important to do this in the right way. As with any major infrastructure build-out, there will be challenges, and how and where new transmission is constructed will have an impact on birds and our communities.

We must get this right. Since 1970 we’ve already lost more than 3 billion birds, driven by habitat loss and degradation. Up to one-third of planned transmission infrastructure coincides with key bird habitats, which makes working together all the more important. Conservation organizations will need to work in partnership with clean energy developers and communities when the planning and design of these major infrastructure projects are underway. This will help ensure that new transmission projects are sited and operated in ways that avoid, minimize and mitigate negative impacts on birds and other wildlife and the communities through which these lines will traverse.

Significant policy improvements are needed to dramatically shorten the time frame to deploy new transmission infrastructure. As the report emphasizes, there is no time to continue business as usual, where new transmission projects often take 10-20 years to build. We must prioritize policy improvements, that include maximizing the efficiency of the existing grid, planning and siting new transmission capacity along existing rights-of-way, creating a stronger role for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the process, advancing federal policies that facilitate faster transmission deployment, and preparing state authorities for the magnitude of transmission deployment ahead.

Audubon’s report also lays out the current scientific understanding of solutions to minimize risks to birds. This includes proactively implementing bird-friendly solutions during the planning process and taking responsive measures once transmission is established. We have already put these measures into practice with the SunZia transmission project, a 550-mile high-voltage direct current transmission line between central New Mexico and south-central Arizona.

Once built, SunZia will be one of the largest clean energy infrastructure projects in American history. Collaboration between Audubon and Pattern Energy has allowed for alternative crossings of the Rio Grande River to avoid critical wildlife habitat, co-location of existing lines through a National Wildlife Refuge right-of-way to make the most of existing infrastructure, and mitigation to enhance habitat and protect species like the Sandhill Crane from transmission line collisions.

It is imperative that the U.S. make a full transition to clean energy as quickly as possible. Birds are telling us that the time to act on climate is now, and unlocking the IRA’s full potential is key to achieving this. Through policy improvements and collaborative planning efforts, we have an opportunity to ensure that new transmission is designed, planned and managed to meet both our clean energy goals and protect wildlife at the same time.  

Marshall Johnson is chief conservation Officer for the National Audubon Society.