The National Wildlife Federation’s new transmission policy platform lays out ways policymakers can maximize the benefits of an expanded clean electricity grid while minimizing harms to people and wildlife. 

"If we get it right, building an interconnected power grid that provides people with reliable, affordable clean energy will be our greatest infrastructure accomplishment this century," said Veronica Ung-Kono, staff attorney and clean energy transmission policy specialist for the National Wildlife Federation. “We need to move swiftly to create an expanded, efficient system that supplies clean energy to all people while minimizing harm to communities and wildlife. These recommendations highlight better ways for decisionmakers and developers to rapidly and responsibly move us toward a future powered by clean energy.”

A Clean Energy Transmission Policy Platform for Thriving Communities and Wildlife makes dozens of recommendations in areas such as mitigating impacts to wildlife, incorporating community input, increasing coordination in permitting, and best practices for siting new transmission lines. The platform argues that responsible investments in clean energy transmission can: 

• Meet the nation’s long-term transmission needs
• Provide consumers with clean energy at just and reasonable rates
• Ensure that the impacts are not disproportionally borne by historically marginalized communities, particularly those already experiencing environmental burdens
• Facilitate coordination among decision makers – minimizing delays while maximizing outcomes
• Prioritize development in existing transmission or transportation corridors and in already disturbed areas
• Avoid harming wildlife populations, migration routes, and habitat when making siting decisions and designing structures to minimize wildlife conflicts
• Create equitable collaboration among communities, state, regional, and federal stakeholders, regulators, and Tribes.  

Additional Resources: 
The 5 Pillars of Responsible & Just Clean Energy Transmission - Blog Post
Connecting the Clean Energy Grid - Video (1:42)