NWCC NATIONAL WIND COORDINATING COMMITTEE

HIGHLIGHTS

August 15, 2005

DATES TO REMEMBER

NWCC CONFERENCE CALLS

Transmission Workgroup Call
September 13 @ 2:00 pm ET

Working Groups

SPP Planning Call
August 15 @ 11 am ET

NWCC MEETINGS

SPP Transmission Issue Forum
Sept.19, 2005 - Topeka, KS

NWCC Business Meeting 36
October 20, 2005 - Lansing, MI

NWCC Technical Siting Research Meeting
Fall 2005 - Washington, DC

MAGIC MOMENTS

Updated Calendar of 2005 Events: click here

NWCC STAFF CONTACTS

Miles Keogh
Outreach Coordinator
(202) 965-6209
mkeogh@resolv.org

Katie Kalinowski
Outreach Associate
(202) 965-6383
kkalinowski@resolv.org 

NWCC WORKGROUP UPDATES

Review and approval of Wildlife Workgroup Core Group representatives will take place during September. In preparation for this process, NWCC staff is verifying that nominations are accepted by nominees. All interested parties will continue to be invited to participate in the Wildlife Workgroup; the core group’s intent is to encourage regular conversation and decision making participation from a variety of stakeholder sectors.

Recent Wildlife Workgroup subgroup activities include:

Grassland/Shrub Steppe Species - Inquiries for funding are being made by NWCC staff for the Effects of Wind Power Facilities on Prairie Chickens research plan developed by subgroup members. Zilkha, PPM, and FPL have made funding commitments, but other funds must be secured before research can begin. Anyone with suggestions about funders to approach, please contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org.

The submission period is closed for proposals to conduct an independent literature review on avian grassland/shrub steppe species and wind projects. An evaluation committee is reviewing proposals and will make a recommendation to the Grassland Subgroup, Wildlife Workgroup, and NWCC Steering Committee. The target is for research to begin in September so that the research product is available before the next field season.

Risk Assessment - Members of the Risk Assessment Subgroup are drafting a white paper on risk assessment application to wind power, incorporating the latest terminology and current risk assessment processes. The draft white paper will be discussed on the subgroup’s next call in September.

Nocturnal Methods and Metrics - This subgroup’s primary activity is to facilitate creation of a companion document to the NWCC publication Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document. A draft “request for intent to propose” to write the companion is being finalized and a review committee is being assembled.

The next Wildlife Workgroup call is Wednesday, September 21 at 1 pm ET.

Siting Workgroup members are being consulted about proposed states to feature in the state-by-state siting fact sheets under development by NWCC staff in partnership with the National Conference of State Legislatures. The state-by-state siting factsheets will provide an overview of the guidelines, model ordinances, resources and regulations that govern wind energy siting in each featured state. Accompanying the fact sheets will be a breakdown of commonalities between states, best practices, lessons learned, and more. For information about this project, please contact Miles Keogh at mkeogh@resolv.org. 

The agenda for a NWCC Research Workshop on the technical considerations involved in siting wind facilities is shaping up with the assistance of the workshop planning committee. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC in the Fall of 2005, and will bring together researchers and those involved in the permitting process for wind energy to discuss the research, methods, and tools available to address non-wildlife related technical siting issues. Panels on sound, visual, safety, electro-magnetic interference, and other impacts specific to wind development will be featured. For more information on this meeting, contact Miles Keogh at mkeogh@resolv.org.  

Implications of the 2005 Energy Policy Act for transmission and wind energy and the new state legislation in Texas (SB 20) that affects the renewable portfolio standard and wind-serving transmission in Texas were discussed on the August 9th Transmission Update call. Speakers on the Energy Bill included Rob Gramlich (AWEA), Craig Glazer (PJM), and Fred Hoover (Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke / NASEO). Mike Sloan (Virtus Energy Research Assocs. & The Wind Coalition) gave an overview of the salient features of SB 20. A summary of this briefing is under development and will be posted on the NWCC website, www.nationalwind.org, in the near future.

Registration is strong for the “Wind Energy and Transmission in the Southwest Power Pool” workshop, September 19, 2005 at the Ramada Downtown, Topeka, Kansas. Meeting participants will identify critical decision makers and entities that needed to play an active role in resolving transmission issues, and determine a path forward for engaging these individuals and organizations. Online registration is available at www.nationalwind.org, as are the agenda and logistics information. Register today!