1. 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 Renewable Energy & Landscape Alteration Surrounding U.S. National Parks Jordan Hoaglund Community Planner Denver Service Center Planning Division Susan McPartland Masters Candidate - UC Denver GIS Specialist Intermountain Region GIS Program

2. 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 Overview Policies and guidance Policies and guidance Potential impacts of renewable energy renewable energy structures Potential impacts of renewable energy renewable energy structures Landscape alteration & visitor experience Landscape alteration & visitor experience Using GIS to evaluate impacts of renewable energy Using GIS to evaluate impacts of renewable energy Regional and national analysis techniques Regional and national analysis techniques Site level analysis techniques Site level analysis techniques Conclusions Conclusions Questions Questions

3. 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 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

4. 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 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

5. 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 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

6. 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 Renewable Energy & Parks Potential Environmental impacts Potential Environmental impacts Social impacts Social impacts Landscape alteration Landscape alteration Park visitor experience Park visitor experience

7. 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 Place Attachment Location vs. place Location vs. place Place attachment factors Place attachment factors i.e. frequency of visitation, activities experienced, proximity to location & expectations i.e. frequency of visitation, activities experienced, proximity to location & expectations

8. 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 Visitor Experience Landscape Alteration Landscape Alteration Change due to renewable energy development Change due to renewable energy development Visitor Experience Visitor Experience Expectations & experience Expectations & experience Will renewable energy have any impact to visitor experience? Will renewable energy have any impact to visitor experience? GIS as first step GIS as first step

9. 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 Using GIS to identify potential impacts and solutions Two tiers of analysis Regional and national analysis Regional and national analysis Wind energy development & southwestern national parks Wind energy development & southwestern national parks Site level analysis Site level analysis Wind & solar development surrounding Petrified Forest NP Wind & solar development surrounding Petrified Forest NP

10. 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 National/Regional Analysis Suitability for renewable energy development Suitability for renewable energy development National National Regional Regional Example: Intermountain Region GIS work Example: Intermountain Region GIS work Southwestern national parks Southwestern national parks

11. 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 National Suitability Existing/Proposed renewable energy Existing/Proposed renewable energy Existing/Proposed Energy corridors Existing/Proposed Energy corridors Energy potential Energy potential Existing energy capacity Existing energy capacity State tax incentives State tax incentives Social interest Social interest

12. 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 Regional Suitability Factors Transportation Transportation Existing/potential energy corridors Existing/potential energy corridors Energy potential Energy potential Topography Topography Land ownership Land ownership GIS Operations Overlay Analysis Overlay Analysis Proximity Proximity Suitability Analysis Suitability Analysis

13. 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 Site Level Analysis Example: Petrified Forest National Park Example: Petrified Forest National Park Methodologies Methodologies Additional capabilities Additional capabilities Results and lessons learned Results and lessons learned

14. 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 Localized Analysis (3D Analysis and Viewsheds) Case Study: Petrified Forest National Park Case Study: Petrified Forest National Park July 2009 notification July 2009 notification 475 wind turbines, 1430 solar towers, 4.5 miles 475 wind turbines, 1430 solar towers, 4.5 miles 13 days to respond 13 days to respond conceptual site plans conceptual site plans Intermountain GIS contacted Intermountain GIS contacted Visual Impact Visual Impact Denver Service Center / General Management Plan Denver Service Center / General Management Plan Source: NZ Legacy

15. 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 Visual Impact Process Overview Process Overview ArcMap 9.3 ArcMap 9.3 Viewshed Analysis Viewshed Analysis At any given point on the surface how many observer points (i.e. turbines, solar towers) are visible from that point At any given point on the surface how many observer points (i.e. turbines, solar towers) are visible from that point Source: NZ Legacy

16. 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 Pre-Process Convert PDF to TIFF (6 conceptual site plans) Convert PDF to TIFF (6 conceptual site plans) Georeference Georeference Control points Control points Digitize all Digitize all

17. 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 Observer Features hundreds of observer features = not practical hundreds of observer features = not practical Minimize Minimize Structure centers Structure centers Minimal points (about 60 each) = virtually identical result Minimal points (about 60 each) = virtually identical result

18. 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 Viewshed pre-processing viewshed (OFFSETA) add results total points visible add field % points visible = visual impact clip to PEFO

19. 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 Petrified Forest NP

20. 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 Petrified Forest NP Not visible

21. 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 3D Modeling What does “visible” look like? What does “visible” look like? Google Earth & Sketchup Google Earth & Sketchup

22. 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 Petrified Forest NP Results Results Better informed comment Better informed comment Project still pending Project still pending Lessons learned Lessons learned Good base data is key Good base data is key More OP’s not necessarily better results More OP’s not necessarily better results

23. 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 Conclusion Future research Future research Overlay with high use areas Overlay with high use areas Effects on visitor experience Effects on visitor experience Growing issue Growing issue Growing role of GIS as Growing role of GIS as a decision making tool

24. 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 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Questions Jordan_Hoaglund@nps.govSusan_McPartland@nps.gov