LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME


[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]

Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

Get weekly updates
RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Stripe

Donate via Paypal

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

News Watch Home

Stacain windfarm rejected for second time 

Credit:  forargyll.com 22 July 2011 ~~

Scottish Minister have again refused consent for the planned 14-turbine Stacain wind farm near Inveraray.

This follows a six-year planning process with two formal public inquiries, centering on whether or not the wind farm would be a threat to golden eagles.

Those in favour of the windfarm had challenged this on the grounds that the pair of eagles sometimes seen on the fringes of the area were elderly and had not produced a chick for something like 15 years.

The Scottish Government has now decided that the installation wojud be a threat to the eagles and the project will not now go ahead.

The proposal by the developer, Bagmoor Wind (an unfortunately gung-ho acquisitive name), would have been located within the Glen Etive and Glen Fyne Special Protection Area (SPA) for Golden Eagles.

If it had been approved, SHN and RSPB determined that it would have posed a significant threat to the birds, with habitat loss and risk of collision with turbines.

A 2008 report from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) found the conservation status of Scotland’s golden eagle population – just over 440 pairs – to be unfavourable.

Nationally, the main threat is seen as coming from illegal killing, often on rogue estates, but wind farm development was identified as an additional factor in two areas – Argyll and in Caithness.

What is needed here is authoritative research evidence demonstrating the actual relationship between raptors and wind turbines.

Solid facts on this are remarkably thin on the ground. For example, as we understand it, SNH does not have a single up to date database on the whereabouts and numbers of the raptor population in Scotland. This is the result of historical data kept in a variety of formats and a dependence in some measure on random sightings reported by reliable witnesses.

Neither the conservation of important species nor the development of a nationally critical industry should be constrained by such an ad hoc and evidentially insecure scenario.

This insecurity of evidence does no favours for the conservation case as it is then left to assumptions rather than verified probabilities.

This then leads to a widening gulf between conservationists and pro-renewables when, if incontrovertible evidence existed one way or the other, inappropriate proposals would not come forwards and others would not have to fear the conservationist dismissal.

Source:  forargyll.com 22 July 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Contributions
   Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)
Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI M TG TS G Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook Wind Watch on Linked In

Wind Watch on Mastodon Wind Watch on Truth Social

Wind Watch on Gab Wind Watch on Bluesky