[BCNnet] wind power projects and birds

[Robbie Hunsinger]

I will definitely take a look at your work at WBCI. I have nothing but
respect for your work there and I didn¹t mean to criticize what you are
doing. This is a frustrating subject to me.

I am tired of the wind companies siting these farms on or next to some of
best wildlife habitat areas. I think that is a really sorry choice for
everyone involved, most of all the critters.

The wind companies seem most often to focus on lands that are of great
interest and concern for wildlife.  I think there must be an economic
connection here but I don¹t have those dots connected yet.  These companies
do studies and they seem to look into EIS, but then many seem to go ahead
and pick critical natural habitat  areas for these farms. There seems to be
a real disconnect in my opinion between the lip service of taking siting
concerns into consideration and what many of these companies actual do.

There are many brownfield and other damaged areas that would be ideal for
wind farms in my opnion. It upsets me that the turbines are so regularly
going up in critical areas for wildlife.

I also am dismayed that wind is the only possible economic choice for green
energy now that our government has decided to choose it as the only
competitor to coal.  Solar could be on every roof doing no harm to our
environment but there is no real will do make it affordable etc.  There
would not be a business boom from solar either- only houses getting off the
grid so to speak.

Anyway, I appreciate your point of view Bill and I will certainly apprise
myself of your findings. I think very highly of your work at WBCI and know
that you are making the best choices you can.

I just wish there were better choices out there.

I agree that sitings are critical. As we are in a major throughway for
birds, additional lit hazards for night migrating birds is a major concern
for me.

Do you know what lighting options will be available? or will the turbines be
low enough not to require tower type lighting?

Best

Robbie


Robbie Hunsinger
Founder & Director
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
http://www.birdmonitors.net






I hate to disagree with folks I respect, I really do. But to me, the
opposition to most wind power projects is misguided. Climate change poses a
risk to birds, other wildlife, (and humans) that is 1000s of times greater
than the limited mortality that results from wind turbines. There are
exceptions, of course - siting of wind turbines is critical. Having said
that, there are few examples where wind projects have caused serious levels
of avian mortality. Bats may be more at risk; there needs to be more study
of the effects of wind turbines on bats. To read more, please see WBCI's
Issues Committee's "Issues Paper" on wind power at
http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/IssuesPapers.htm
>  
>  
> William P. Mueller
> Issues Committee Chair, Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI)
> Conservation Chair, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO)
> 1242 S. 45 St.
> Milwaukee, WI 53214
> (414) 643-7279
> E-mail: iltlawas at earthlink.net
>  
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