Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 08:55:22 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Paul Vavrek Subject: Re: Article on MD windfarms MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thank goodness Speaker Taylor is no more. He wasn't reelected. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gail Mackiernan" To: Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:28 AM Subject: [MDOSPREY] Article on MD windfarms > Hi all -- > This was forwarded to me by a non-birding friend-- > > Perhaps Speaker Taylor needs to be reminded that migratory birds are > federally protected, at least not on military bases! > > Gail Mackiernan > ---------- > Subject: Fwd: Slow! Birds Crossing!!! > > > Slow! Birds Crossing!!! > Maryland Regulators Tell Windpower Plants to Stop > Giant Turbines During Heavy Bird Migration Periods > > By DAVID DISHNEAU > Associated Press Writer > HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- State regulators want to require developers > of two proposed wind power plants in western Maryland to shut down the > giant turbines during periods when the whirling blades could kill > large numbers of > migratory birds. > The condition, apparently the first of its kind in the nation, is > aimed at balancing the interests of wildlife advocates and wind power > developers, who > are racing to build the plants by Dec. 31, 2003, when a federal tax > incentive expires. > "We are supporting both plants on an expedited schedule but we are > building in contingencies in the event there are problems," Paul Massicot, > director of the Department of Natural Resources' Resource Assessment > Services > division said Wednesday. "The last thing we want to happen at a wind energy > plant is a big environmental problem." > One of the companies, U.S. Wind Force of Baden, Pa., has agreed to > shut down its proposed windmill farm for up to 18 hours a year if the > 25 turbines > are found to kill more than 200 birds or bats per windmill in a > 24-hour period, president Thomas Matthews said. > The other company, Clipper Windpower of Carpinteria, Calif., is in talks > with the DNR about the agency's proposed condition requiring shutdowns > of up > to 53.7 hours a year if Clipper's planned 67 turbines are found to > kill the > same number, Kevin Rackstraw, the company's director of East Coast > development, said. > "We're trying to move things along and we want to be as cooperative > as we > can," Rackstraw said. > The shutdowns would likely occur for several hours at time during periods > when the threat to wildlife is greatest, Massicot said. > He said the shutdown period proposed for Clipper was longer because > scientists believe there is more bird activity at that project's > location, atop Backbone Mountain, Maryland's highest ridge. > Both projects are awaiting approval by the state Public Service > Commission. Public hearings are scheduled Jan. 7 for the Clipper > project and > Jan. 14 for the U.S. Wind Power project. > Massicot agreed with both developers that there is no reason to > expect significant bird mortality at either site. However, bird and > bat deaths have > been associated with wind farms and communications towers elsewhere, > especially on overcast nights when migrating birds, apparently lost without > the stars, tend to circle lighted towers, Massicot said. > Because of the approaching tax deadline, state regulators chose to > recommend that bird mortality be monitored after the plants are built rather > than holding off on construction until more studies are done, Massicot said. > The Sierra Club urges the opposite approach, Charles Garlow, energy > chairman of the environmental group's Maryland chapter, said. > "The official position of the Maryland Sierra Club is that the > Maryland Department of Natural Resources oppose granting of the > permits until such time as more comprehensive studies of the potential > bird impact be completed," Garlow said. > State House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr., an Allegany County > Democrat, called the shutdown provisions "asinine" in a story > published Wednesday in the Cumberland Times-News. Taylor, who lost the > November election and is leaving office next month, said overzealous > bird protection could hamper future development of such projects. ------ > Maryland Public Service Commission: http://www.psc.state.md.us/psc > Clipper Windpower: http://www.clipperwind.com > Sierra Club, Maryland: http://maryland.sierraclub.org/ > > ====================================================================== > = > To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com > with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey > ======================================================================= > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================