Slide credits – West, Inc.

What we Know – Wind Energy Transmission and Wildlife

Sources of Impact

Fatalities

Direct loss of habitat

Indirect loss of habitat

WEST, Inc.

Predicted Impacts Due to Habitat Alteration

Temporary (construction)impacts (estimated)

0.4 to 3 acres/turbine

Permanent (operations) impacts (estimated)

0.7 to 1 acres/turbine

Permanent footprint 1‐5%

WEST, Inc.

Indirect Habitat LossDisturbance/displacement

Human activity‐noise, etc.Tall structures and rotating bladesOverhead powerlines

Data – Impacts from Wind Turbines

Sage GrouseMostly anecdotal

Nesting has occurred close to turbines in Wyoming and Washington (<100 m)Some analysis has shown avoidance patterns in terms of habitat use relative to transmission lines.Broods, wintering birds, etc. observed within the Wild Horse (WA), Seven Mile Hill (WY) and Foote Creek Rim (WY) Wind Resource Areas

Wyoming StudyPreliminary data from an ongoing telemetry study in Wyoming

600 female relocations from April 1 – June 30th

Some relocations near wind turbines and existing overhead linesNine nests within one mile of wind turbines; the four nests closest to turbines were 130 m, 278 m, 388 m, and 486 m from the nearest turbine

Other Prairie Grouse Studies

Nebraska Game and Parks (2006‐2008)Monitored greater prairie‐chicken and sharp‐tailed grouse leks within 1‐2 mile radius of 36‐turbine Ainsworth wind‐energy facilityThirteen leks (0.3‐1.59 miles from nearest turbine; avg. 0.66 miles)All 13 leks were present each of the three study years. The total number of birds on the leks was 136 in 2006, 135 in 2007, and 134 in 2008.

Minnesota Study (Society and Toepfer 2003:47) Documented 6 active greater prairie chicken leks within 2 mi of the 3 wind turbines, 1 lek within 0.6 mi of the nearest turbine, and 1 hen with a brood immediately adjacent to a turbine

NGP Ainsworth, Nebraska (2008)

Prairie Chicken Habitat Use Relative to Powerline Location

Other Wildlife/Wind Research StudiesPasserine Birds, Raptors and Bats

Sage GrouseNorthwest Consultant Study in Northern Oregon

China Mountain Wind Study in Idaho

Big GameOklahoma (Walker et at.) elk

Wyoming – Dunlap/UWYO pronghorn and possibly elk

Statewide & Core Area

Peak Males

05 to 07 06 to 08 Number of Birds in

Core Area

% of 05 to 07

SW Peak males

Total 59,165 59,00281 percent 47,924 48,151Foot Print 1003 79%

2-Mile Buffer 3545 75%3-Mile Buffer 4316 73%4-Mile Buffer 4917 72%

Wyoming Wind Taskforce August 26, 2009

Unknown But Worst Case Scenario

Research NeedsUncertainty exists regarding wind energy development:

Habitat usePopulation levelsLek fidelityNest area fidelity Reproductive successRecruitmentMeasures to avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate impacts

Wind‐Wildlife Collaborative Research

• Multi-state, multi-entity - industry, academia, federal and state agencies, ngos.

• Facilitated process to identify research needs, design research protocols, and seek pooled resources to conduct studies.

• Results to inform future recommendations for wind energy development.

• Initial focus on effects of wind energy on sage grouse.

AcknowledgementsWallace Erickson, WEST, Inc.Greg Johnson, WEST, Inc.JR Boehrs, WEST, Inc.

http://corridoreis.anl.gov/ for DOE Energy ROW Corridors

FatalitiesOne sage grouse fatality at Foote Creek Rim

Met tower or turbinePredation is primary cause of mortality…other sources include vehicles, powerlines, fences, livestock, farm machinery, pesticides, drought and fire. Burying powerlines, “BFD’S”,unguyed permanent met towers may greatly reduce risk

Wind and Gas Disturbance Parameters (from C. Hagen ODFW)

Variable Gas Wind

Structure height 4-60 m 66-122 m

Noise @ 0.25 miles 52 db(A) 35 db(A)

Compressor 37 db(A) NA

Haul roads 40 db(A) ?

Maintenance visits 1 per day-well 1 per 6 months per turbine

Road density 3.13 km / km2 1.6 km/km2

% permanent disturbance

5-10% 1%-5%