Renewable Energy & Landscape Alteration Surrounding U.S. National Parks

1. Renewable Energy & • Landscape Alteration • Surrounding U.S. National • Parks • JordanHoaglund • Community Planner • Denver Service Center • Planning Division • Susan McPartland • Masters Candidate - UC Denver • GIS Specialist • Intermountain Region GIS Program E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

2. Overview • Policies and guidance • Potential impacts of renewable energy renewable energy structures • Landscape alteration & visitor experience • Using GIS to evaluate impacts of renewable energy • Regional and national analysis techniques • Site level analysis techniques • Conclusions • Questions E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

3. Policies and Guidance • Mission of the NPS • "...to promote and regulate the use of the...national parks...which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.“ • -NPS Organic Act, 16 U.S.C.1 E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

4. Policies and Guidance • DOI policies on renewable energy • Renewable energy is a key part of keeping America competitive, creating jobs, • and winning the future for our children. At the Department of the Interior, we • have a responsibility to ensure that solar, wind and geothermal projects are built • in the right way and in the right places so they protect our natural, cultural and • wildlife resources. Taken together, today’s initiatives are another positive step • toward making sure we are building a clean energy economy that is smart from • the start. • - Ken Salazar DOI Press Release 2.8.2011 E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

5. Policies and Guidance • NPS policies on renewable energy • “As our nation moves towards cleaner sources of energy and energy • independence, the NPS has an important responsibility and opportunity in • helping to achieve these goals in a way that does not compromise the • protection of our parks and other nationally designated areas.” • -NPS Director 8.5.2010 E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

6. Renewable Energy & Parks • Potential Environmental impacts • Social impacts • Landscape alteration • Park visitor experience E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

7. Place Attachment • Location vs. place • Place attachment factors • i.e. frequency of visitation, activities experienced, proximity to location & expectations E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

8. Visitor Experience • Landscape Alteration • Change due to renewable energy development • Visitor Experience • Expectations & experience • Will renewable energy have any impact to visitor experience? • GIS as first step E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

9. Using GIS to identify potential impacts and solutions • Two tiers of analysis • Regional and national analysis • Wind energy development & southwestern national parks • Site level analysis • Wind & solar development surrounding Petrified Forest NP E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

10. National/Regional Analysis • Suitability for renewable energy development • National • Regional • Example: Intermountain Region GIS work • Southwestern national parks E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

11. National Suitability • Existing/Proposed renewable energy • Existing/Proposed Energy corridors • Energy potential • Existing energy capacity • State tax incentives • Social interest E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

12. Regional Suitability • Factors • Transportation • Existing/potential energy corridors • Energy potential • Topography • Land ownership • GIS Operations • Overlay Analysis • Proximity • Suitability Analysis E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

13. Site Level Analysis • Example: Petrified Forest National Park • Methodologies • Additional capabilities • Results and lessons learned E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

14. Localized Analysis(3D Analysis and Viewsheds) • Case Study: Petrified Forest National Park • July 2009 notification • 475 wind turbines, 1430 solar towers, 4.5 miles • 13 days to respond • conceptual site plans • Intermountain GIS contacted • Visual Impact • Denver Service Center / General Management Plan E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Source: NZ Legacy

15. Visual Impact • Process Overview • ArcMap 9.3 • Viewshed Analysis • At any given point on the surface how many observer points (i.e. turbines, solar towers) are visible from that point E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Source: NZ Legacy

16. Pre-Process • Convert PDF to TIFF(6 conceptual site plans) • Georeference • Control points • Digitize all E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

17. Observer Features • hundreds of observer features = not practical • Minimize • Structure centers • Minimal points (about 60 each) = virtually identical result E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

18. Viewshed % points visible = visual impact pre-processing total points visible viewshed (OFFSETA) add results add field clip to PEFO E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

19. Petrified Forest NP E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

20. Petrified Forest NP Not visible E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

21. 3D Modeling • What does “visible” look like? • Google Earth & Sketchup E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

22. Petrified Forest NP • Results • Better informed comment • Project still pending • Lessons learned • Good base data is key • More OP’s not necessarily better results E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

23. Conclusion • Future research • Overlay with high use areas • Effects on visitor experience • Growing issue • Growing role of GIS as • a decision making tool E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

24. Questions Jordan_Hoaglund@nps.gov Susan_McPartland@nps.gov National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A