Avian Workgroup

Meeting Summary

June 23, 1999

Current and Future Projects

Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document 

• Avian Metrics Document under final NWCC "can live with it" review, to be released in September, 1999. Comments due by July 30.

Avian/Wind Energy Planning Meeting III Proceedings

• Proceedings of National Avian-Wind Power Planning Meeting III document to be ready by December 31, 1999.

Wind Energy/Bird Effects in Perspective

• Purpose: place mortalities from wind development in perspective with all avian mortality resulting from other causes.
• Paper will be a summary of literature on avian mortality.
  • Impacts are defined as causing direct mortality (i.e. not habitat loss).
  • Initial audience is NWCC.
• Tom Gray, Dick Anderson, Steve Ugoretz with support from A. Arnold will write up a scope of work and propose a consultant to Avian Workgroup. Work to be completed by September 30.

Wind Energy/Bird Interactions Fact Sheet 

• 1-page fact sheet to be produced by September, 1999 (Tom Gray to author, Workgroup to review).
• What do we know/don't know about avian wind interaction?
• Organized by issue.
• Include information on different turbine types and habitat/terrain.
• 2nd page would have suggested reading.
• Regularly update with new information as research is concluded.

Assist with Permitting Handbook modification

• Relevant information from M&M Document will be incorporated into 2000 Edition Permitting Handbook.

Wind Energy/Bird Issues Workshop(s)/Forum(s)

• Summary of Fort Collins Avian Workshop to be ready by July, 1999.

Avian/Wind Energy Planning Meeting IV

• February/March 2000 is proposed for next workshop
• Next steps are to propose date to potentially interested participants, identify meeting site, and hold date.

Future of Avian Workgroup

• The Workgroup agreed that there is still relevant work to do and will continue to meet periodically, usually in conjunction with NWCC Business Meetings.