On February 8, 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released two draft documents containing guidelines designed to provide agency employees, developers, other federal agencies and state organizations information needed to make the best possible decisions in the review and selection of sites for wind energy facilities to avoid and minimize negative impacts to fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. The guidelines have now been published in the Federal Register (February 18, 2011) and are now open for public comment for 90 days until May 19, 2011.
The Draft Voluntary, Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines [1] have been developed for industry to avoid and minimize impacts to federally protected migratory birds and bats and other impacted wildlife resulting from site selection, construction, operation and maintenance of land-based, wind energy facilities.
The Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance [2] was developed to provide interpretive guidance to wind developers, Service biologists who evaluate potential impacts on eagles from proposed wind energy projects, and others in applying the regulatory permit standards as specified by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and other federal laws.
Email comments can be submitted to windenergy@fws.gov [3]. Please include “Wind Energy Guidelines Comments” or “Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance Comments” in the subject line, and your full name and return address in the body of the message. Please note that the email address will be closed when the public comment period closes.
Alternatively, you may submit comments or recommendations by mail to:
Attention: Wind Energy Guidelines; Division of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop 4107; Arlington, VA 22203-1610
or
Attention: Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance; Division of Migratory Bird Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop 4107; Arlington, VA 22203-1610
[The American Wind Energy Association opposes these guidelines and will be providing comments.]
Questions for Consideration in Providing Public Comment
Voluntary, Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines
Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance
[More information is available at www.fws.gov/windenergy/ [4].]
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/2011/03/09/fish-wildlife-turbine-siting-guidelines-available-for-comment/
URLs in this post:
[1] Draft Voluntary, Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines: http://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Wind_Energy_Guidelines_2_15_2011FINAL.pdf
[2] Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance: http://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ECP_draft_guidance_2_10_final_clean_omb.pdf
[3] windenergy@fws.gov: mailto://windenergy@fws.gov
[4] www.fws.gov/windenergy/: http://www.fws.gov/windenergy/