ECOLOGICAL ISSUES AND WIND SITING Lessons from two decades of experience around the Country

Wind Capacity Operating in the USA Slide from AWEA (

Wind Farms in the Midwest

Midwest Wind Farms Buffalo Ridge – SW Minnesota Buffalo Ridge – SW Minnesota Top of Iowa – NW Iowa Top of Iowa – NW Iowa No. Central Il. No. Central Il. NE Wis. NE Wis. Other Wis. Other Wis.

Windfarms in Wisconsin Twn. Of Shirley Twn. Of Shirley Kewaunee/Brown Counties Kewaunee/Brown Counties Twn. Of Addison Twn. Of Addison Montfort/Cobb Montfort/Cobb Forward Wind Forward Wind Butler Ridge Butler Ridge Blue Sky/Green Fields Blue Sky/Green Fields

Most Wind Projects are in Eastern Wisconsin

Wildlife Impacts Mortality due to collision Mortality due to collision Loss of habitat Loss of habitat Disturbance Disturbance Reproductive impacts Reproductive impacts Attractive nuisance Attractive nuisance

Mortality Raptors at Altamont Pass, CA Raptors at Altamont Pass, CA Songbirds Songbirds Bats Bats Recent incidents Recent incidents Larger patterns Larger patterns

Regional Bird Fatalities Region # studies # MW Rotor Diam. Min/Max av # brd s/tur./yr av # brds/ MW/yr MW/yr NW439747/ Rocky Mt 26842/ Upper Midw / East26847/ Over-all /

Loss of Habitat Initial clearing Initial clearing Installation Installation Long term Long term

Disturbance Barrier effect Barrier effect Motion on landscape Motion on landscape Disruption of movement patterns Disruption of movement patterns

Reproductive impacts Nesting sites Nesting sites Booming grounds Booming grounds Disrupting courtship flights Disrupting courtship flights Loss of fledglings Loss of fledglings

Attractive Nuisance Soil disturbance provides prey habitat Soil disturbance provides prey habitat Lights attract insect prey Lights attract insect prey New perching sites New perching sites

Wind/Wildlife issues in WI Small impacts of existing (studied) sites Small impacts of existing (studied) sites Potential impact on bats at Neda Mine Potential impact on bats at Neda Mine Impacts on waterfowl near Horicon Marsh Impacts on waterfowl near Horicon Marsh Impact of offshore wind in Great Lakes Impact of offshore wind in Great Lakes Cumulative impact of many wind farms along the Niagara Escarpment Cumulative impact of many wind farms along the Niagara Escarpment

Summary There are concerns about wildlife impacts in Wisconsin (songbirds, waterfowl) There are concerns about wildlife impacts in Wisconsin (songbirds, waterfowl) Other locations have different issues Other locations have different issues Raptors in CA., grouse on plains, migrating bats in East Raptors in CA., grouse on plains, migrating bats in East Inconsistent regulation means an uncontrolled “experiment” Inconsistent regulation means an uncontrolled “experiment” Cumulative impacts still unknown Cumulative impacts still unknown