Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Report: More Than 30,000 Wind Turbines Installed in Sensitive Bird Habitat

Endangered Whooping Cranes to Face Gauntlet of 24,000 Turbines

(Washington, D.C., May 19, 2015) New research supported by American Bird Conservancy (ABC) shows that more than 30,000 wind turbines have been installed in areas critical to the survival of federally-protected birds in the United States and that more than 50,000 additional turbines are planned for construction in similar areas.

More than 27,000 of these turbines exist in or are planned for federally identified or designated areas, including:

· 24,000 turbines in the migration corridor of the Whooping Crane, one of the nation's rarest and most spectacular birds, and,

· Almost 3,000 turbines in breeding strongholds for Greater Sage-Grouse, a rapidly declining species recently considered for Endangered Species Act protection.

"Wind turbines are among the fastest-growing threats to our nation's birds," said Dr. Michael Hutchins, Director of ABC's Bird Smart Wind Energy Campaign. "Attempts to manage the wind industry with voluntary as opposed to mandatory permitting guidelines are clearly not working. Wind developers are siting turbines in areas of vital importance to birds and other wildlife, and this new data shows that the current voluntary system needs to be replaced with a mandatory permitting system."

The analysis was based on an interactive Wind Development Bird Risk Map produced by ABC that identifies specific areas across the United States where birds are likely to be particularly vulnerable to impacts from wind energy development. These include major migratory routes, breeding areas, and other sensitive bird habitats. Key areas on the map are colored red or orange to indicate the level of potential risk to birds, with red areas regarded to be of "Critical Importance"—the highest level of risk. According to ABC, these red areas have high potential for negative impacts on federally protected birds, but comprise less than nine percent of the total U.S. land area.

Locations of wind turbines analyzed in the study were derived from data supplied publicly by theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) for proposed turbines, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for existing turbines. These data sets provide specific locations for individual wind turbines in GIS format.

In February 2015, ABC updated and re-filed an earlier petition with the federal government requesting that it regulate the wind industry with regard to bird impacts. It now appears that they are beginning to see the shortcomings in the current federal guidelines for the wind industry. In December 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) solicited comments on the government's efforts to manage the wind industry and stated: "We are currently in the process of evaluating the efficacy and use of the Guidelines, and the Service is considering regulatory options." Additionally, FWS commented that the current guidelines, in some cases, have not been "…successful in preventing wind energy facilities from being constructed in areas of high risk to wildlife."

Because of the threat of rising bird mortality and the explosive growth of the wind industry, ABC and a coalition of more than 70 conservation organizations earlier requested that the U.S. Department of the Interior develop a National Programmatic Wind Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to identify appropriate areas for wind energy development, as well as areas where development should be avoided completely to conserve federally protected birds and especially sensitive habitats. However, in a letter dated July 31, 2014, Interior responded that they "currently do not have the resources to undertake the nationwide process." Such resources, however, could be made available under a paid permitting system already proposed by ABC.

ABC supports renewable energy development to address the growing threat of global climate change, but has serious concerns about widespread bird deaths caused by poorly-sited wind turbines, including impacts on protected species, such as Whooping Cranes and eagles. By 2030, it is estimated that more than 1.4 million birds could be killed annually by wind turbines, not including losses at associated transmission lines and towers. There is currently a once-only opportunity to minimize this mortality through mandatory permitting, leading to proper siting and mitigation for bird fatalities before tens of thousands more turbines are built.

ABC developed and supports the concept ofBird Smart wind energy development, which ensures that turbine projects are located away from high collision risk areas; employ effective mitigation to minimize bird fatalities; and conduct independent, transparent post-construction monitoring to help inform mitigation, and calculate compensation for the loss of ecologically-important, federally-protected birds. ABC also recognizes and promotes the immediate need for innovative, scientifically valid research aimed at developing effective methods for pre-construction risk assessment and post-construction monitoring.

"We can and must do better if future generations of Americans are going to have a chance to see some of our nation's most iconic bird species," said Hutchins. "Our nation's wildlife should not be collateral damage in the battle against climate change, especially when much of the conflict could be easily addressed through better siting of wind projects and improved regulation," he added. "Transmission line collisions are already a leading cause of Whooping Crane mortality. There will be a major expansion of these lines needed to service the 20,000-plus turbines currently planned for their migration corridor."

Read more about the study here.

ABC's efforts to establish Bird Smart wind energy in the U.S. are made possible in part by the generous support of the Leon Levy Foundation. GIS analysis for the study mentioned in this release was conducted on behalf of ABC by Eric Wengert, a graduate student in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University.

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American Bird Conservancy is the Western Hemisphere's bird conservation specialist—the only organization with a single and steadfast commitment to achieving conservation results for native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With a focus on efficiency and working in partnership, we take on the toughest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on sound science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation.