Documents
Category:
Impact on Bats
USFWS comments on Pinnacle Wind Power Project
November 6, 2009
by Deborah Carter, USFWS Field Supervisor
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wet Virginia field office, issued these comments regarding the Pinnacle wind power project proposed for ridgelines in Mineral County, WV. The comments pertain to the Habitat Characterization and Assessment of Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species for the Pinnacle Wind Farm (BHE Environmental 2009a); the Avian Risk Assessment for the Pinnacle Wind Power Project (Kerlinger 2009); and the Bat Risk Assessment: Pinnacle Wind Farm (BHE Environmental 2009b). Excerpts of the letter are provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.
The Animal Welfare Institute, Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy, and others submitted this pretrial brief and supporting reply briefs in their law suit opposing the Beech Ridge wind energy facility to be located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. These briefs show that the developer, Beech Ridge Energy LLC, discovered the presence of the federally endangered Indiana Bat at the project site but withheld this information from federal and state authorities. With this information hidden from public inspection, the project was granted a siting certificate from the West Virginia Public Service Commission to construct up to 124 wind turbines, each 390 feet tall, along a twenty-three mile stretch of land on forested Allegheny Mountain ridgelines. Construction commence in early 2009 but a subsequent injunction request was filed by the plaintiffs and granted pending the outcome of this law suit. The pre-trial brief and reply briefs by renown bat experts Drs. Lynn Robbins, Michael Gannon and Thomas Kunz can be accessed by clicking on the links below. The introduction to the reply brief is also posted below. The trial is scheduled from October 21 before the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
West Virginia]
Animal Welfare Institute et.al. motion for preliminary injunction against the Beech Ridge wind energy facility
July 10, 2009
by Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal
The Animal Welfare Institute, Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy and David G. Cowan have filed a law suit against Beech Ridge Energy LLC and Invenergy Wind LLC under the federal Endangered Species Act ("ESA"). This filing seeks preliminary injunction to halt further construction, turbine erection, and operation of the Beech Ridge industrial wind power project. The plaintiffs argue that the project, if constructed, will result in the "likely killing, injury, and other forms of "take" of endangered Indiana bats in violation of the ESA." The wind project is proposed to be located on ridgelines in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
Guidelines for conducting bird and bat studies at commerical wind energy projects
January 20, 2009
by NY DEC and FW&MR
These guidelines, prepared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources, set forth recommendations to commercial wind energy
developers on how to characterize bird and bat resources at on-shore wind energy sites, and how
to estimate and document impacts resulting from the construction and operation of wind energy
projects. By issuing these guidelines, DEC intends to provide a consistent and predictable
methodology for developers to assist them in the planning and development process.
Understanding the trade-off: Environmental costs and benefits of industrial wind energy development
October 23, 2008
by Dan Boone & Rick Webb
Wildlife expert Dan Boone presented these slides at the 38th North American Symposium on Bat Research held in Scranton, PA in October 2008. Mr. Boone's presentation focused on the trade-offs of wind energy development in Eastern US balancing the benefits of this energy resource against the environmental risks, particularly to bats. Note that slides # 27, 32 and 33 of the presentation provide graphs which quantitatively estimate the potential impacts on bats and forest habitat resulting from the projected intensity of wind energy development within the eastern US states which comprise the bulk of the Appalachian mountain region. The summary slide from the presentation is listed below. The full presentation can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
EUROBATS: Guidelines for consideration of bats in wind farm projects
July, 2008
by LuĂsa Rodrigues, Lothar Bach, and others
North American Symposium on Bat Research - Resolution bats and wind energy development
July 6, 2008
by North American Symposium on Bat Research
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife]
Testing the effectiveness of an experimental acoustic bat deterrent at the Maple Ridge wind farm
June 24, 2008
by Horn, Arnett, Jensen, and Kunz
This paper documents the results of an in-field test at the Maple Ridge wind energy facility in New York to determine the effectiveness of using an experimental acoustic bat deterrent to reduce bat mortality. The executive summary excerpted below suggests the results were inconclusive. Most bat experts remain unconvinced that acoustic deterrence will be a suitable mitigation approach to reduce bat fatalities at existing turbines.
American Society of Mammalogists unanimous resolution: Effects of wind-energy facilities on bats and other wildlife
May, 2008
by American Society of Mammalogists
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
USA]
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies position statement: Wind energy impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat
April 18, 2008
While the public and many decision-makers generally believe that wind energy is environmentally benign, it may entail significant detriments to wildlife and essential habitats, which need to be more clearly understood, and addressed. State fish and wildlife agencies should be at the forefront of cooperative development and implementation of measures to characterize, avoid, minimize and effectively mitigate the impacts of wind energy development on natural resources.
Therefore the position of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, in regard to wind energy development is to: ...
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