Wildlife and Habitat
We're committed to interacting with nature in a positive manner. That's why we've created wildlife programs to protect a number of species and their habitats.
Preserving Wildlife and Habitat
We're committed to being an industry leader in environmental protection and stewardship, including wildlife and habitat protection. We have operations across the U.S. and Canada, so we're keenly aware of the potential impacts that existing and future operations may have on wildlife and their habitat. This is why we have environmental policies and programs in place at both the corporate and local levels to avoid and minimize these impacts and to address any remaining impacts through appropriate mitigation measures. Here's what we do:
- Before we build a power plant or other electric facilities, we make sure we understand the local ecosystem as well as what it takes to be a partner in its preservation and a good neighbor to all the species that live there.
- As part of that work, we consider the presence of any threatened or endangered species and the proximity to valuable wildlife corridors, wetlands or other ecologically important areas. We make efforts to avoid these areas entirely. If we can't do that, we seek to minimize and mitigate the impact of our developments to affected areas.
- Once a project is operating, we continue to monitor potential impacts to biodiversity that may occur.
Our Wildlife Protection and Habitat Restoration Projects
We adhere to numerous policies and programs to protect threatened and endangered species. In addition to following all federal and state regulations, we make important contributions to scientific research to protect a number of vulnerable species and habitats and to better understand how to reduce impacts. Some examples of our wildlife protection and habitat restoration projects are featured below.
Crocodile Program
On the brink of extirpation from the United States in the late 1970s due to habitat loss, the American crocodile has made a comeback in the habitat surrounding FPL's Turkey Point Clean Energy Center. In the 1980s, FPL initiated a crocodile management program to benefit these ancient reptiles. Given the 5,900-acre, man-made cooling canal system at the plant offers ideal nesting conditions, the management program includes protecting these nesting areas, completing population surveys, conducting capture and spatial distribution surveys, and regulating plant activity at night and during nesting season. Since 1978, FPL biologists have tagged 8,205 hatchlings at Turkey Point. The database of tagged crocodiles assists FPL and the wildlife agencies in understanding the growth and survival of the species at the site.
Whooping Crane Protection Plan
NextEra Energy Resources has a voluntary whooping crane protection plan for all operating wind farms within the whooping crane migration corridor. All wind technicians receive annual training on whooping crane identification, curtailment procedures and notification requirements. If a whooping crane is observed on the ground or flying overhead, the turbines are immediately shut down and remain down until the whooping cranes have left the area.
Sea Turtle Program
Due to the location of the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant and the design and operation of its intake cooling water system, sea turtles sometimes inadvertently enter the plant's cooling canal system. A net system keeps the turtles safely corralled in the canal, and trained biologists on site from the Inwater Research Group systematically capture, measure, weigh, tag and release nearly all of the turtles back to the ocean. Turtles with injuries or health issues are transported to an animal rescue center recommended by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, such as the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a nonprofit sea turtle hospital located just two miles from FPL’s headquarters in Juno Beach. FPL is a longstanding partner and supporter of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, which promotes conservation of ocean ecosystems with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Through the turtle program at the St. Lucie plant, FPL performs a valuable service to researchers worldwide by providing sea turtle data and supporting local initiatives focused on the protection and rehabilitation of sea turtles.
Everglades Mitigation Bank
FPL's Everglades Mitigation Bank, a nearly 14,000-acre project located in southern Miami-Dade County adjacent to the FPL Turkey Point Clean Energy Center, is a critical link to the success of restoring the Everglades ecosystem to its natural condition. Two phases of restoration have been constructed at the mitigation bank, culminating in the creation of tidal creeks for essential fish habitat, along with crocodile and indigo snake habitat. Other aspects of the effort included removal of historic roads and canals, removal of hydrologic barriers, replanting of vegetation and the installation of more than 80 features to restore historical water distribution patterns for more than 9,000 acres of sawgrass marsh, high marsh, forested tree islands and mangrove habitat. Learn more about our mitigation banking activities.
Avian and Bat Protection Programs
Since 2007, FPL has invested more than $130 million to proactively construct and retrofit more than 150,000 poles to make them more bird-friendly, reducing avian risk and improving service reliability to our customers. To identify and proactively address high-risk distribution structures, FPL created the energy industry’s first avian risk assessment model. In 2014, FPL updated the avian risk assessment model to further enhance avian assessment and protection processes. At our NextEra Energy Resources' wind and utility scale solar sites, we implement a voluntary Wildlife Response and Reporting System (WRRS) to document long-term avian and bat interactions. We also voluntarily adhere to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines by conducting a minimum of one year of post-construction mortality monitoring at all of the U.S. wind sites we have constructed since March 2012.
Manatee Program
During cold weather, manatees congregate in the warm water outflows near power plants. FPL has worked closely with regulatory agencies and environmental organizations for more than 30 years to ensure that manatees are protected, and our leadership role has been recognized by numerous environmental organizations worldwide. We have conducted hundreds of aerial surveys, published and distributed thousands of pieces of educational literature, and sponsored extensive research on manatee habitat and behavior. In addition, FPL opened Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center® in 2016. The center welcomes more than 150,000 visitors annually who come to learn about manatees, the surrounding Lake Worth Lagoon and what they can do to preserve the environment. While Manatee Lagoon has been closed to the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the center has remained committed to providing educational opportunities to the community. This includes a virtual Marine Science Series program for fifth graders, Wild About Wildlife Virtual Summer Camp, and virtual programming and at-home learning resources to help meet the evolving needs of families, teachers and students during this time.
Wind and Wildlife Research
Since 2009, NextEra Energy Resources has partnered with Texas Christian University (TCU) on ongoing research aimed at reducing the impact of wind energy production on birds and bats. NextEra Energy Resources is also participating in the Wind and Wildlife Research Fund (WWRF) which is housed within the American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI), an independent, nonprofit organization created by leaders in the wind industry, conservation and science communities to better understand wind energy’s risks to wildlife and create solutions. The WWRF is currently funding innovative research projects related to bats, eagles and grouse. All research is conducted by independent third-parties and will be peer reviewed and publicly released.
Altamont Wind Repowering
NextEra Energy Resources has removed all of its older-generation wind turbines at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in California. The company has now completed three repowering projects designed to replace these older turbines with far fewer, and thoughtfully-sited turbines that are more efficient and avian-friendly. A significant goal of these repowering projects, which were supported by several local Audubon Society Chapters and the State of California, was to reduce wind turbine impacts on wildlife, particularly raptors. With over eight years of monitoring at these new turbines, we are optimistic that the goal of reducing avian impacts has been met. Moreover, NextEra Energy Resources donated $10,500 for each repowered megawatt installed at these facilities to support raptor research and park land conservation near the Altamont. Those donations have totaled over $2.2 million. Additionally, NextEra’s own independent research of raptor-avoidance technology continues.