RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT DESERT TORTOISE & Biological MONITORING

SummitWest worked with industry experts in supporting efforts to implement solar energy as an alternative source of electricity while concurrently protecting habitat and species of concern. SummitWest successfully mobilized a large crew of authorized Desert Tortoise biologists to provide nearly two years of biological surveys and construction monitoring during three separate solar array installations across 2,700 acres in the Mojave desert (Arica, Victory Pass and Oberon).

SummitWest was commissioned by Ironwood to conduct comprehensive Desert Tortoise (DETO) pre-construction surveys and subsequent construction compliance monitoring on a solar array installation project. We successfully mobilized a substantial crew of more than 15 experienced DETO biologists, including several authorized DETO biologists, to complete biological surveys, DETO fence inspections, and construction monitoring over the course of multiple field seasons for this Project. Deliverables included daily documentation of monitoring and work accomplished by field crews, as well as the associated environmental restrictions and mitigations that were enacted, and any special status species observations.