The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has awarded funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to install solar photovoltaic systems at the Bosque del Apache and Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuges in New Mexico.

The projects were awarded to Sacred Power Corporation in Albuquerque, and will provide long-term cost savings by harnessing solar power to generate electricity in buildings on the refuges, including the Visitors Center at Sevilleta NWR.

The projects will cost a total $354,497, with $190,480 going to Bosque del Apache and $164,017 going to Sevilleta. Construction is expected to begin the week of Oct. 12. Six additional refuges in the Southwest region, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona, will also receive Recovery Act funds for PV systems.

"The service is committed to making our facilities as energy efficient as possible," said Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, director of the (U.S. Fish & Wildlife) Service's Southwest region. "These Recovery Act projects provide long-term benefits by improving energy efficiency on the refuges and by providing employment for Americans."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, PV systems convert solar energy directly into electricity and are one of the cleanest power-generating systems available. PV systems have virtually no environmental impact and produce no air pollution, hazardous waste or noise. With minimal operating costs and few maintenance requirements, PV systems are ideal for supplying power to remote locations.

The Bosque del Apache NWR, located 20 miles south of Socorro, consists of 57,191 acres and is renowned for the thousands of migratory birds that make the refuge their winter home. The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, located 20 miles north of Socorro, supports four major ecological habitats, encompasses two mountain ranges and contains stretches of the largest river in the state. Sevilleta NWR also hosts the University of New Mexico Long Term Ecological Research program that was begun in 1988.

For more information, visit www.fws.gov.