[BCNnet] Birds, bats and wind turbines

[donniebird at yahoo.com]

BCNnet friends

 

Here's today's press release from American Bird Conservancy urging Congress
to subsidize wind energy only if provisions protecting birds and bats are
included in the renewal legislation.  Please tell your Congressman or
Congresswoman to support the legislation only if this provision is included.

 

Donnie Dann

Highland Park, IL

donniebird at yahoo.com  

 

 

Renewal of Tax Credits for Wind Energy Should Require Protections for Birds
and Bats

(Washington, D.C. - April 30, 2007) Bird protection measures must become
mandatory for wind energy projects because voluntary steps are being ignored
by the wind energy industry says Dr. Michael Fry of American Bird
Conservancy in testimony before the House Subcommittee Fisheries, Wildlife
and Oceans tomorrow.

The hearing "Gone with the Wind: Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats"
is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Tuesday May 1 and will be webcast live on the
Committee's web site at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov
<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/> .  A copy of Dr. Fry's testimony is
available at http://www.abcbirds.org/policy_wind_testimony.htm. 

"Collaborative efforts to successfully address the impacts of wind projects
on birds and wildlife have been a failure," said Dr. Fry, who is a member of
the National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC) comprised of representatives
from the utility, wind industry, environmental and government sectors.
"There has been much discussion and almost no real action on the part of the
wind industry to resolve bird collision issues."

The House Ways and Means Committee is currently considering an extension of
tax breaks for wind energy production. To keep the wind industry growing,
its advocates are aiming to push Congress to extend a tax credit worth 1.9
cents per kilowatt-hour that currently does not require any action on behalf
of the wind energy industry to mitigate its impacts on federally protected
migratory birds. The credit generally expires and is renewed every two
years.

"Any renewal of the production tax credit for wind energy should include
provisions that require developers follow best management practices in
avoiding and minimizing bird and wildlife impacts," said Dr. Fry.  

According to The Worldwatch Institute Report, "American Energy: The
Renewable Path to Energy Security," in 2005, the United States led the world
in wind energy installations. In the same year, wind farms were the
country's second largest source of new generating capacity, after natural
gas-fired plants.  

But according to the NWCC, this growing alternative energy source is killing
between 30,000 to 60,000 birds a year, including Golden Eagles, Red-tailed
Hawks, Burrowing Owls, Mourning Doves, bluebirds and over 50 species of
migratory songbirds.  At the current mortality rate and growth rate of the
wind industry, by 2030 a projected 900,000 to 1.8 million birds would be
killed per year by wind turbines, unless protective measures are
implemented.

ABC believes that with proper siting, operation, and monitoring, wind energy
can provide clean, renewable energy for America's future with minimal
impacts to birds and bats.  Concerns have surfaced over the potential threat
to birds and bats from the construction and operation of wind energy
projects.  ABC emphasizes that before approval and construction of new wind
energy projects proceeds, potential risks to birds and bats should be
evaluated through site analyses, including assessments of bird and bat
abundance, timing and magnitude of migration, and habitat use patterns. 

Wind energy project location, design, operation, and lighting should be
carefully evaluated to prevent, or at least minimize, bird and bat mortality
and adverse impacts through habitat fragmentation, disturbance, and site
avoidance. For example, wherever possible, wind power projects should be
sited on areas with poor habitat, such as agricultural lands rather than
native prairie. Sites requiring special scrutiny include sites that are
frequented by federally listed endangered species of birds and bats, in
known bird migration pathways, areas where birds are highly concentrated,
and areas that have landscape features known to attract large numbers of
raptors.

# 30 #

 

ABC is the only 501(c)(3) organization that works solely to conserve native
wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC acts to safeguard
the rarest bird species, restore habitats, and reduce threats, while
building capacity in the conservation movement. ABC is the voice for birds,
ensuring that they are adequately protected; that sufficient funding is
available for bird conservation; and that land is protected and properly
managed to maintain viable habitat.

 

ABC is a membership organization that is consistently awarded a top,
four-star rating by the independent group, Charity Navigator.

 

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