NWCC NATIONAL WIND COORDINATING COMMITTEE

HIGHLIGHTS

September 15, 2005

DATES TO REMEMBER

• Oct 20, Lansing, Michigan: Wind Energy and Air Quality Issue Forum. Save the date - join experts in the Midwest to explore the connections between wind energy and air pollution control.
• Nov 30, Washington, DC: NWCC Business Meeting 36. This meeting will give NWCC members an opportunity to engage in strategic planning for 2006 and beyond.
• Dec 1–2, Washington, DC: Technical Considerations in Siting Wind Energy: NWCC Research Meeting. (New date!) The meeting will engage researchers and those involved in the permitting process for wind energy to review and discuss existing research, methods, and tools available to address non-wildlife related technical issues associated with siting and operation of wind energy systems.

NWCC CONFERENCE CALLS

Wildlife Workgroup Call
September 21 @ 1:00 pm ET

Transmission Update Briefing
October 11 @ 1:00 pm ET

Siting Workgroup Call
October 19 @ 2:00 pm ET

Steering Committee Call
October 27 @ 1:00 pm ET

Working Groups

Risk Assessment Subgroup
September 16 @ 1:30 pm ET

NWCC MEETINGS

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

NWCC Air Quality Issue Forum
Oct. 20, 2005 - Lansing, MI

NWCC Business Meeting 36
Nov. 30, 2005 - Washington, DC

NWCC Technical Siting Research Meeting
Dec. 1-2, 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

The Wildlife Workgroup Core Group nominees will be reviewed and approved by the workgroup and NWCC steering committee in September. All interested parties will continue to be invited to participate in the Wildlife Workgroup; the core group’s intent is to encourage regular conversational and decision making participation from a variety of stakeholder sectors.

Recent Wildlife Workgroup subgroup activities include:

Grassland/Shrub Steppe Species - More funding is still needed in order to begin the Effects of Wind Power Facilities on Prairie Chickens research plan developed by subgroup members. However, NWCC staff has contacted foundations, wind developers, federal and state agencies, and others about contributing to research. While funding is being secured, the subgroup will issue a RFQ in the coming weeks to researchers interested in carrying out the project. For additional information on the RFQ, contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org.

A research protocol on grassland songbirds has been drafted by several members of the subgroup. The songbird protocol is under review by subgroup members and plans are being made to submit the protocol for more formal peer review as well.

Proposals for the literature review on avian grassland/shrub steppe species and wind projects are still out to the evaluation committee, which will make a recommendation to the Grassland Subgroup, Wildlife Workgroup, and NWCC Steering Committee.

Operating protocols for this group have been drafted and are being revised based on member comments.

Risk Assessment - A white paper draft on risk assessment application to wind power, incorporating the latest terminology and current risk assessment processes, is out to subgroup members. The draft white paper will be discussed on the subgroup’s next call on September 16th.

Nocturnal Methods and Metrics - A request for letters of intent to write a companion document to the NWCC publication Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document will be sent next week to interested parties. For more details on this project, contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org.

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

NWCC and NCSL staff are developing factsheets for state siting guidelines that will provide an overview of each state’s guidelines, model rules, or regulations that govern wind energy. Accompanying the factsheets 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 date for the NWCC fall workshop on technical considerations for siting wind facilities has been changed to December 1-2. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC and bring together researchers and those involved in the permitting process for wind energy to review and discuss existing research, methods, and tools available to address non-wildlife related technical issues associated with siting and operation of wind energy systems. Panels on sound, visual, safety, communications interference, and other impacts associated with wind development will be featured. For more information on this meeting, contact Miles Keogh at mkeogh@resolv.org.

Over 50 participants have already registered for the “Wind Energy and Transmission in the Southwest Power Pool” workshop, September 19, 2005 at the Ramada Downtown, Topeka, Kansas. Registration is still open through the NWCC website. 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.

Nearly 100 participants have registered 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.

On October 20th, join the NWCC in Lansing, Michigan for an afternoon issue forum that explores the relationship between wind energy and air pollution reductions. Speakers from the EPA, state of Michigan, Environmental Resources Trust, and other experts will discuss how wind energy can be used to help local communities meet Clean Air Act requirements and other air quality and climate change goals. More information will be available soon at www.nationalwind.org.