Abstract
The environmental policies which govern renewable energy development often have limited opportunities for required consultation with environmental regulators, especially as it relates to potential impacts to species and habitats. In the region of interest for this research, the Great Plains, there are limited state-level environmental regulations which require consultation, and given that much of renewable energy development happens on private land, consultation relies on voluntary behavior by renewable energy developers. Through interviews with 18 professionals who work for state or federal wildlife agencies, this research examined how state and federal regulators implement current environmental regulations and build relationships with renewable energy developers. Overall, while this research focused on the renewable energy sector, the lessons learned can provide general insight into how regulators navigate unique regulatory environments and how big policies and frameworks translate into individual regulatory relationships and actions.