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<DIV>Sierra Club renewable energy people are starting to talk more on our list
serves about bird and bat safety when it comes to placement of wind turbines.
This was posted up onto one of our list serves.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Christine Williamson</DIV>
<DIV>Chicago/Cook</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:birdchris@aol.com">birdchris@aol.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Windmill project could kill birds and bats, report says<BR>While not
opposing the plans, Va. game officials say effects need study<BR><BR>BY REX
SPRINGSTON<BR>TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER [Roanoke, VA] - Mar 4,
2006<BR><BR>Nineteen big windmills proposed for remote Highland County
could<BR>produce "the highest mortality rates in the East" for birds and bats,
a<BR>state report says. [This report is available via:
<BR>http://www.vawind.org/Assets/Docs/19301_Hi.pdf .]<BR><BR>But biologists of
the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which<BR>produced the report, say
the precise effects of the windmills are<BR>unknown because so little research
has been done.<BR><BR>"We are not in a position of saying we oppose the project,
but we are<BR>simply saying it needs very careful study," said Ray Fernald,
manager<BR>of nongame programs for the game department.<BR><BR>Highland New Wind
Development, run by Henry T. McBride of Harrisonburg,<BR>is proposing the
windmills for two 4,300-foot-high ridges in Highland,<BR>about 150 miles
northwest of Richmond.<BR><BR>Each windmill would stand nearly 400 feet tall --
about the height of<BR>the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond. The project would
be Virginia's<BR>first major wind farm. Depending on how strong the wind blows,
the 19<BR>Highland windmills could produce as much as 38 megawatts of
power,<BR>enough on average for 15,000 to 20,000 homes, supporters
say.<BR><BR>Highland New Wind is seeking permission from the State
Corporation<BR>Commission to build the windmills. As part of that process,
state<BR>agencies are reviewing possible environmental effects. The new
report<BR>is the game department's review.<BR><BR>Meanwhile, the state
Department of Environmental Quality, which<BR>coordinates those state reviews,
suspended the review Wednesday until<BR>Highland New Wind responds to issues
raised by the game department and<BR>other agencies.<BR><BR>The state Department
of Historic Resources, for example, wants a<BR>"viewshed analysis" to show where
the windmills would be seen.<BR><BR>Once the company responds, the reviews will
continue and documents<BR>reflecting all sides will be passed on to the SCC,
said Bill Hayden, a<BR>spokesman for the Department of Environmental
Quality.<BR><BR>Hayden said the suspension is not unusual but could cause a
delay of<BR>weeks, if not months.<BR><BR>Frank Maisano, a spokesman for Highland
New Wind, said the company<BR>would work hard to satisfy the
agencies.<BR><BR>"There will be a minimal impact on the environment as a whole,
because<BR>it is a wind project," Maisano said.<BR><BR>Much of the game
department's 22-page report is a response to a 2005<BR>study by ABR Inc., a
consultant for Highland New Wind.<BR><BR>ABR used radar and other means to gauge
the abundance of bats and birds<BR>flying at night along the two Highland ridges
from mid-August to<BR>mid-October. Bats are nocturnal, and most songbirds
migrate at night.<BR><BR>The ABR researchers indicated thousands of birds and
bats could be<BR>flying along the ridges during the two months. [see graphics of
at-risk<BR>nocturnal migrants:
<BR>http://www.vawind.org/Assets/Pictures/migrant%20numbers%20by%20altitude.pdf<BR>]<BR><BR>The
game department's report responded: "We believe this may translate<BR>into the
highest mortality rates in the East."<BR><BR>The game department, which was not
asked to contribute to the study,<BR>wants to work with the consultant to design
future research, said<BR>biologist Andrew Zadnik.<BR><BR>Animals possibly at
risk from the windmills include two endangered<BR>species, the Virginia
big-eared bat and the Indiana bat, the game<BR>agency's report said. The
Virginia big-eared bat is the official state<BR>bat.<BR><BR>The report
recommended, among other things, another year of studying<BR>bird and bat
activity before the windmills are built. (Another agency,<BR>the Department of
Conservation and Recreation, recommended at least two<BR>years of
study.)<BR><BR>The game department's report also called for at least three more
years<BR>of study after construction, including searches for
carcasses.<BR><BR>It may be possible, the report said, to accommodate the
developers and<BR>the animals -- perhaps by shutting down the windmills when the
airborne<BR>animals are most abundant.<BR><BR>The report also suggested looking
into how often larger birds, such as<BR>hawks and eagles, fly Highland's ridges
by day.<BR><BR>Most American windmills operate in the West and Midwest, but
developers<BR>are increasingly looking to Eastern mountains, home to abundant
winds<BR>and wildlife.<BR><BR>Nearly 90 windmills are running in the Appalachian
Mountains, and more<BR>than 900 are planned or proposed for Virginia, West
Virginia, Maryland<BR>and Pennsylvania, the report said. The report calls for
considering the<BR>cumulative effect of those projects.<BR><BR>In addition to
raising concerns about flying animals, the game<BR>department's report said
Highland "is one of the premiere sites" in<BR>Virginia for outdoorsy tourists
such as bird watchers.<BR><BR>"Development of the project could result in many
tourists going<BR>elsewhere," the report said. Supporters have suggested the
windmills<BR>may draw tourists.<BR><BR>The SCC will hold hearings on the
windmill proposal March 13 and 14 in<BR>Monterey.<BR><BR>Contact staff writer
Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com or<BR>(804)
649-6453.<BR><BR>Birds, bats and windmills<BR><BR>Nineteen big windmills are
proposed for Highland County ridges. A new<BR>state report says:<BR><BR>• The
windmills could kill large numbers of birds and bats.<BR>• They could drive away
some tourists.<BR>• More study is needed, including collecting animal carcasses
if the<BR>windmills go up.<BR><BR>Windmill hearings<BR><BR>WHAT: The State
Corporation Commission will hold four public hearings<BR>on the proposed
Highland County windmills.<BR><BR>WHEN: March 13 at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. and March
14 at 4 and 7 p.m.<BR><BR>WHERE: Highland Elementary School gymnasium,
Monterey.<BR><BR>RULES: Like court. No signs, demonstrations or
cheers.<BR><BR>http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834500931&path=!news&s=1045855934842<BR><BR>-
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