The Path to Green Energy is a new Google Earth tool that provides information on lands legally prohibited from commercial development on natural habitats of endangered species and on lands proposed for inclusion into the federal wilderness system. This new set of layers is trying to make it easier for solar and wind farm developers to figure out where they are least likely to meet resistance in their development.

Developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Audubon Society with sponsorship from Google.org’s Geo Challenge Grants, the tool shows 14 types of areas within three main categories of land protection: prohibited, restricted, and “should be avoided.” The Path to Green Energy went live this week and is available to the public.