The Moapa project, located on 2000 acres of the Moapa River Indian Reservation north of Las Vegas, Nevada, is the first utility-scale solar project approved and built on tribal lands.
The project was propelled by a 25-yr power purchase agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to deliver energy sufficient to power approximately 100,000 homes. It’s completion represented a milestone for the Moapa Band of Paiutes.
Wilder Ecological was sub-contracted to provide Authorized Biologists as survey leads to complete the USFWS protocol desert tortoise site clearance prior to construction activities. This effort resulted in the discovery and transfer of over 100 adult tortoises from project impact areas. The animals were moved a short distance to suitable habitat directly adjacent to the solar site.
- Leadership on desert tortoise clearance surveys
- Training provided to new hires
- Excavations of tortoise burrows and extraction of resident animals
- Telemetry transmitter placement on dozens of animals scheduled for translocation
- Training on transmitter placement, telemetry techniques provided to new hires
Wilder Principal Biologists Liana Harp and Nate Jones were among the USFWS Authorized biologists on site to verify and facilitate compliance with desert tortoise clearance protocols, including fencing, gates, survey techniques, temporary holding pens, artificial burrows, and other project operations