NWCC NATIONAL WIND COORDINATING COLLABORATIVE

HIGHLIGHTS

January 1, 2008

DATES TO REMEMBER

Avian Protection Plans Brief Online - A written summary of the NWCC’s webcast on the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC) and avian protection plan guidelines is now available online here. Featured speakers included Jim Burruss, PacifiCorp; Jim Lindsay, FPL; and Al Manville, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

4th Western Transmission Newsletter Available - The fourth quarterly issue of Implementing Wind Energy & Transmission in the Western Grid is now on the web here. Check it out to learn more about federal activities by Congress, FERC, and DOE; renewables and transmission planning by various Western states; transmission line development activities and more.

NWCC CONFERENCE CALLS

Wildlife Workgroup call
January 9, 2:30 pm ET

Transmission Workgroup call
January 15, 2:00 pm ET

NWCC Steering Committee call
January 31, 1:00 pm ET

Transmission Update call
February 19, 1:00 pm ET

Working Groups

Western Transmission Leadership Group call
January 3, 1:00 pm ET

NWCC WORKGROUP UPDATES

New Habitat Subgroup Formed – A new subgroup has formed to address wind power’s influence on habitat. Parties interested in joining the Habitat Subgroup should contact Taylor Kennedy at tkennedy@resolv.org.

Grassland and Shrub Steppe Species Collaborative (GS3C) –The NWCC staff is scheduling a conference call briefing for the GS3C to learn about sage grouse interaction with wind energy development and consider possible next steps for the GS3C. To accommodate for speaker availability, the call is now being scheduled for February.

Research Meeting VII Planning Committee –The planning committee will reconvene on January 3rd to continue organizing the meeting. The Research Meeting is anticipated for Fall 2008.

Key Research Topics Subgroup – NWCC staff is incorporating comments from the Wildlife Workgroup Core Group into the Key Research Topics document and will soon circulate the document for final approval by the subgroup and Core Group.

Avian Protection Plans Briefing – A summary of the October 7th Avian Protection Plans briefing has been posted online here.

U.S. Forest Service Briefing –A summary of the November 7th Forest Service briefing to the Wildlife Workgroup on these directives is complete and will be distributed to the Wildlife Workgroup shortly.

Wind/Wildlife Activities & Events Table – The NWCC wind power/wildlife studies, activities, and events table has been updated and posted online. Please send information on related meetings to Taylor Kennedy at tkennedy@resolv.org for inclusion.

Midwest – NWCC members involved with planning the South Dakota workshop held a call on December 20th to discuss next steps for the region. In 2008, members expressed interest in helping the Midwest Governors implement their energy platform and to continue facilitating activities that move more wind from the Midwest to eastern load centers. Planning for a 2008 transmission workshop on these topics commences with a conference call on January 8th.

SPP – The NWCC staff is consulting with SPP leadership to hone in on 2008 regional activities.

West – The 4th volume of NWCC’s Implementing Wind Energy & Transmission in the West quarterly newsletter and past issues are available online. To be added to the distribution list, contact Katie Kalinowski, kkalinowski@resolv.org.

Presentations and a next steps memo from the Sept 27-28 Increasing Renewable Energy in the Western Grid are available through this link. A meeting summary has been drafted and is out to summit speakers for review.

Transmission Updates – Rick Sergel from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Charlie Reinhold of WestConnect spoke on the December 18th Transmission Update. A written brief is being reviewed by the speakers prior to distribution. To join the Transmission Update listserv, contact Katie Kalinowski, kkalinowski@resolv.org.