Posted on November 30, 2007 by Jeff Thaler
| Structure/Cause | Total Bird Fatalities |
| Vehicles | 60-80 million |
| Buildings and windows | 98-980 million |
| Power lines | 10,000 – 174 million |
| Communications Towers | 4-50 million |
| Agricultural Pesticides | 67 million |
| Housecats | 100 million |
| Wind Generation Facilities | 10,000 – 40,000 |
There have been few studies on bat mortality. Most have focused on Virginia and West Virginia where there are more caves as well as largely deciduous forest habitats. Outside of a study at Searsburg, Vermont (P. Kerlinger 2002), which failed to document any bird or bat mortality, there are currently no published studies of bat mortality for wind power facilities in New England. For facilities located on temperate forest ridges in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, fatality rates range from 15.3 to 41.1 bats per megawatt (MW) of installed power, per year.[16] Bat fatalities appeared to be greater at turbines nearer to wetlands (Jain et al 2007). Wind turbines on higher, more windy and sub-alpine ridgelines are expected to have far fewer bat fatalities.
The primary reason for very low rates of bird and bat mortality is that they migrate at altitudes wellabove the rotor-swept area. All post-2004, published (59) and unpublished (72) studies to date have consistently documented that birds and bats fly well above (i.e., 1000 to 2000 feet above) the turbine blades during migration periods.
Conclusions
Not only environmental lawyers, but all concerned decision-makers and citizens must confront the largest threat to our public’s environment, health, and property in decade: climate change from global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions. This century’s realities require prompt and decisive action on many fronts, only one of which is the expedited permitting and construction of clean, renewable, and indigenous sources of power for our homes and businesses. It is critical that we help advocate not only for individual projects, but also for modernized policy- and decision-making that balances traditional environmental wildlife concerns with the new threats to wildlife, forest, coastal habitats, and our way of life. The need is urgent. The time is now.
[1] As of December 2007 there are three proposed wind farms that have received some regulatory review, totaling 243 MW. Studies suggest there is significantly more wind capacity developable in Maine, and of course many more times that across the United States.
[2] The Task Force web site has a wealth of information, including a number of presentations, and is at: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/windpower/summaries.shtml
[3] The October 30, 2007 presentation can be found at: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/windpower/meeting_summaries/103007_summary_files/Grace_Wind_Task_Force_103007.pdf
[4] A recent presentation by Maine DEP Commissioner David Littell summarizing wind power and its
greenhouse gas and air quality benefits is at: ttp://www.maine.gov/doc/lurc/minutes/080107/Littellpresentation.pdf
[5] The general IPCC website is at: http:www.ipcc.ch/ A summary of the Synthesis Report can be found at: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf
[6] For the NECIA report see:
http://www.climatechoices.org/assets/documents/climatechoices/confronting-climate-change-in-the-u-s-northeast.pdf For the NECIA link to specific reports in individual states, go to: http://www.climatechoices.org/ne/resources_ne/nereport.html
[7] http://www.climatechoices.org/assets/documents/climatechoices/maine_necia.pdf
[8] http://www.earthscape.org/r1/r1/epa06/MAINE.PDF
[9] “Analysis: Economic Impacts of Wind Applications in Rural Communities”, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and M. Pedden
[10] Poletti and Associates, Inc. Real Estate Study
[11] http://www.aceny.org/pdfs/misc/effects_windmill_vis_on_prop_values_hoen2006.pdf.
12http://www.crest.org/articles/static/1/binaries/wind_online_final.pdf)
[13] Erickson, W.P. et al, “Avian Collisions with Wind Turbines”, 2001.
[14] This study, by Jain et al., can be found at:
www.mapleridgewind.com/documents/06-25-07_MapleRidgeAnnualReport2006.pdf
[15] National Research Council, 2007, “Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy”, based upon Mid-Atlantic Highlands region, http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11935#toc; also see generally Erickson et al. 2001; Klem 1991; Pimental and Acquay 1992; Coleman and Temple 1993;
[16] Kunz et al. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Issue 6, Vol. 5: August 2007.
[15] National Research Council, 2007, “Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy”, based upon Mid-Atlantic Highlands region, http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11935#toc; also see generally Erickson et al. 2001; Klem 1991; Pimental and Acquay 1992; Coleman and Temple 1993;
[16] Kunz et al. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Issue 6, Vol. 5: August 2007.
Tags: Renewable