Wind Farm; Photograph Attribution: By Leaflet - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5704247
Environmental Review Workshop
For Immediate Release: Friday, January 15, 2021
Contact: Miguel Andrade Hall
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This week, the Environmental Review Workshop gave expert feedback on a permit application from Rosewater Wind Farm in White County, Indiana. The proposed categorical exemption determination by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for "low-effect", would give Rosewater a permit to allow the farm's 25 wind turbines to kill up to 36 threatened or endangered bats, including 18 federally Endangered Species Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) , without requiring an Environmental Impact Statement.
Background
Faced with climate change concerns, there is increasing interest in renewable energy sources. Wind turbines provide renewable energy, as well as associated benefits like manufacturing and maintenance jobs .But this can come with a cost: the fast-moving turbine blades kill bats and birds.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities that harm Endangered or Threatened Species. Wind farms can violate these regulations unless they have an Incidental Take Permit (ITP), allowing for some harm to specific species. The permitting process allows a 30-day window for comments on the application.
Unfortunately, this comment period might have passed unnoticed or without input from experts. This is where the Environmental Review Workshop steps in. We monitor federal and state databases for projects open for comment and assemble teams of specialists to give expert feedback.
Rosewater Permit Application and Environmental Review Comments
The wind farm has asked for an ITP allowing harm to 18 Indiana bats and 18 Northern long-eared bats over the next 6 years. To balance this harm, Rosewater has proposed to offset the impacts as follows: Purchasing credits from an approved conservation bank, contributing to a mitigation fund, implementing a mitigation project, or contributing to a white-nose syndrome treatment fund (a fungal disease also threatening bat populations).
Indiana Bat (Endangered Species) Being Handled by a Researcher; Photograph Attribution: Andrew King, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Our reviewers identified the following main concerns:
· A potential risk to bald eagles was identified but not included in the mitigation plan.
· Information on local bird populations mentioned in the report was not included for review.
· Details on how dead animals will be efficiently found were limited, particularly in undergrowth.
· The permit was for 6 years, but the facility would be operating for longer than this (the operational life of wind turbines is 30+ years).
· There were errors in the estimated number of migratory tree bats that might be killed (632 per year).
Further Information:
Full comments from Environmental Review Workshop
Fish & Wildlife Service Indiana Bat Fact Sheet, Fish & Wildlife Service Bald Eagle Fact Sheet
Environmental Review Workshop - a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation (Environmental Review, Inc.)