Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for Common Activities
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources|Dec 1, 2024
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued details on its "Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for Common Activities" as it relates to the impacts of wind turbines on cave bats. The State heeds the science that was confirmed nearly two decades ago that increasing the cut-in wind speed of the wind turbines during certain periods of the year, bat mortality can be reduced by as much as 80%. This is an important step by Wisconsin and one that wind developers should adopted industry-wide.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued details on its "Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for Common Activities" as it relates to the impacts of wind turbines on cave bats. The State heeds the science that was confirmed nearly two decades ago that increasing the cut-in wind speed of the wind turbines during certain periods of the year, bat mortality can be reduced by as much as 80%. This is an important step by Wisconsin and one that wind developers should adopted industry-wide.
The Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for Common Activities, as provided for under s. 29.604 Wis. Stats., allows for the incidental taking (mortality) of certain endangered and threatened species that may occur as a result of activities occurring regularly across the landscape. The Department recognizes that these common activities are issued or could be issued individual incidental take permits/authorizations with identical minimization and mitigation measures, and therefore has issued this broad incidental take permit (used by non-state agencies and individuals) and broad incidental take authorization (used by state agencies) to cover these regularly occurring activities if the associated conservation measures are implemented.
An incidental take permit or authorization is typically issued on a project-by-project basis, however a broad incidental take permit/authorization (BITP/A) was created for this situation so that an application, permit fee and public notice period is not required for each individual project. An individual, organization or agency is automatically covered by this permit or authorization if all conditions listed below (process, reporting, conservation measures) are met.
The proposed Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization for Wind Energy and Cave Bats recognizes the importance of wind energy in Wisconsin but also acknowledges the detrimental impact wind turbines may have on the state’s cave bats (tricolored bat, northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, big brown bat). This broad incidental take permit/authorization creates conservation measures for wind energy that are shown to be an effective strategy in minimizing impacts on cave bats.
Species Covered The following cave bat species are covered under this Broad Incidental Take Permit/Authorization:
• Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)
• Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis)
• Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)
• Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
