DESIGNING AND DEPLOYING SOLAR FOR COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS A. PROJECT OBJECTIVES THIS PROJECT WILL CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC FIELD TESTING AND MODELING OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AT LARGE-SCALE, GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY FARMS IN THE MIDWEST AND USE THE RESULTS TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE ECOSYSTEM SERVICE FRAMEWORK AND RELATED STAKEHOLDER TOOLS FOR ASSESSING THESE BENEFITS. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SOLAR DEVELOPERS, UTILITIES, LANDOWNERS, TRIBES, AND HOST COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, DEVELOP A SOCIAL LICENSE TO OPERATE LARGE- AND COMMUNITY-SOLAR FACILITIES, IMPROVE SOLAR ENERGY SITING AND PERMITTING PROCESSES, AND CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR SOLAR ENERGY SITING AND SITE DESIGN BEST PRACTICES TO MEET LOCAL AND STATE SOLAR GOALS.