NWCC NATIONAL WIND COORDINATING COMMITTEE

HIGHLIGHTS

October 1, 2005

DATES TO REMEMBER

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

Transmission Update Briefing
October 11 @ 1:00 pm ET

Siting Workgroup Call
October 19 @ 2:00 pm ET

Steering Committee Call
November 3 @ 1:00 pm ET

Working Groups

Grassland/Shrub Steppe Species Subgroup Call
October 24, 2:00 pm ET

Risk Assessment Subgroup
October 25 @ 11:00 am ET

NWCC MEETINGS

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

Nominations for the Wildlife Workgroup core group and the technical advisory committee (TAC) have been circulated among the workgroup and NWCC steering committee. Additions to the (TAC) nominee list continue to come in and are welcome at any time. The core group kicks off in October. 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.

Planning is getting underway for the 6th Wildlife-Wind Research sponsored by NWCC for Fall 2006. Anyone interested in participating with the planning committee, please contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org.

Recent Wildlife Workgroup subgroup activities include:

Grassland/Shrub Steppe Species - NWCC staff continue efforts to solicit additional funding for the Effects of Wind Power Facilities on Prairie Chickens research plan. Two foundations, the Energy Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, have declined to provide funds. However, the subgroup is optimistic that funds will be obtained and therefore a RFQ is being prepared for circulation in October to identify researchers interested in carrying out the project. For additional information on the RFQ, contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org.

Many comments have been received from subgroup members on grassland songbirds monitoring protocol. The protocol authors now have an opportunity to update the protocol based on this feedback.

The Ornithological Council has been recommended by the proposal evaluation committee to write a literature review on avian grassland/shrub steppe species and wind projects. NWCC staff is working with the Ornithological Council to develop a scope of work and contract.

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

Risk Assessment - The subgroup has reviewed a new draft white paper on risk assessment application to wind power. Additional information is being incorporated into the white paper and a new draft is anticipated in early October. When the white paper is complete, a conference call or meeting will be convened to present it to the Wildlife Workgroup and the workgroup will decide how it wishes to proceed in this area.

Nocturnal Methods and Metrics - The request for letters of intent to write a companion document to the NWCC publication Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document is now available. To obtain a copy of the request, contact Katie Kalinowski at kkalinowski@resolv.org. Letters are due Friday, October 21st.

The next Wildlife Workgroup call is currently being rescheduled; the next bi-weekly update will have the new date and a notice will be sent to the Wildlife Workgroup listserve.

NWCC and NCSL staff are still developing factsheets for state siting guidelines that will provide an overview of each state’s guidelines, model rules, or regulations that govern wind energy. These will be available in November. For information about this project, please contact Miles Keogh at mkeogh@resolv.org.

Please note the new date for the NWCC fall workshop on technical considerations for siting wind facilities: Dec 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.

The August/September Transmission Update focusing on the 2005 Energy Policy Act has been distributed and is available online. The next transmission update is Oct 11th. Stay tuned for topics and speakers.

Over 110 participants attended the “Wind Energy and Transmission in the Southwest Power Pool” workshop September 19th in Topeka, Kansas. Meeting participants discussed transmission expansion plans and regional policies that affect wind energy. A meeting summary is being prepared and presentations and other meeting materials are already available online.

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. There is no registration fee, but please register online today.