A wildlife biologist whose area of expertise is bat and bird activity, has joined the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to study the effects of wind turbines on native and migrating wildlife, especially in the Lake Erie Basin.
Keith DeWitt Lott will study the impact that the rotating blades of wind turbines have on the 300 species of birds and nine species of bats found in the state.
“As Ohio moves into the realm of wind-based energy, it’s important that we do so in a socially and environmentally responsible way,” said ODNR Director Sean D. Logan in a news release.
“Helping developers site wind turbines so that the impacts to birds and other wildlife are minimized is one way of accomplishing that objective.”
ODNR is an active participant in the Ohio Wind Working Group (OWWG) and the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC). The OWWG is a statewide collaborative of key stakeholders interested in smart and successful wind energy development for Ohio, while the GLWC is a regional effort to address issues such as off-shore wind turbines in the Great Lakes.
The agency drafted a cooperative agreement between the state and developers in recent months to help identify the best possible locations in Ohio for wind turbines; places with high wind potential, but limited impact to birds, bats, fish and amphibians.
“The voluntary partnership between the state and wind-power developers is an important step toward bringing wind energy to Ohio, which is a major focus of Governor Strickland’s energy policy,” Logan said. “ODNR plans to finalize the cooperative agreement in coming months.”
Donna J. Miller
March 19, 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/19/biologist-will-study-wind-turbine-effects-on-wildlife/