Dear EarthTalk:
One of the objections to wind power has been that the turbines can
kill birds. Has there been some progress in developing bird-friendly
wind power? - Marcie
Mahoney, Boston, MA
The U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service estimates that almost a half million birds are killed
each year in the U.S. by wind turbines. In March 2012 the agency
released new federal guidelines that steer wind turbines away from
vital habitat and toward land already marked by development.
Credit: iStockPhoto
Bird collisions have been one of
the primary negatives of the recent growth in wind power across the United
States and beyond. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) estimates that
almost a half million birds are killed each year in the U.S. by wind turbines.
“Birds can die in collisions with the turbine
blades, towers, power lines, or related structures, and can also be impacted
through habitat destruction from the siting of turbines, power lines, and access
roads,” the non-profit American Bird Conservancy reports. “Some
birds, such as sage-grouse, are particularly sensitive to the presence of
turbines, and can be scared away from their breeding grounds several miles away
from a wind development.”
In response to this growing problem, the USFWS released new federal guidelines in March 2012 for land-based wind developers trying to avoid or minimize impacts to birds and their habitats. The guidelines are voluntary at this point, but U.S. wind developers interested in a smoother ride through various permitting processes and the blessing of environmental groups—several were consulted extensively in drawing up the new guidelines—are doing their best to make their designs and implementations comply.
The federal government’s 22-member Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee, which included experts from the National Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Massachusetts Audubon and Bat Conservation International, developed the guidelines. Committee members report they are optimistic that the new guidelines provide a path to better protection for birds and their habitats.
“The guidelines steer wind turbines away from vital habitat…and toward land already marked by development,” says David Yarnold, National Audubon’s President. “They give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a place at the table for siting decisions; they help protect sites with high potential risk for birds; and they minimize habitat fragmentation.” He adds that the guidelines are based on the best available science and “provide a roadmap to better bird protections across each of America’s four great flyways.”
Audubon pushed to ensure that the guidelines address habitat fragmentation, one of the biggest potential impacts of wind development on birds. Wind developers that cooperate with the guidelines will avoid dividing important habitats like forests and grasslands, thus maintaining their suitability for wildlife.
“These first-ever federal guidelines are a game-changer and big win for both wildlife and clean energy,” says Yarnold. “By collaborating with conservationists instead of slugging it out, the wind power industry gains vital support to expand and create jobs, and wildlife gets the protection crucial for survival.”
For its part, the American Bird Conservancy would like to take the voluntary out of the guidelines and instead require wind developers to comply. The group recently filed a petition with the U.S. Department of the Interior calling for mandatory rules protecting millions of birds from the negative impacts of wind energy and rewarding responsible wind energy development.
In response to this growing problem, the USFWS released new federal guidelines in March 2012 for land-based wind developers trying to avoid or minimize impacts to birds and their habitats. The guidelines are voluntary at this point, but U.S. wind developers interested in a smoother ride through various permitting processes and the blessing of environmental groups—several were consulted extensively in drawing up the new guidelines—are doing their best to make their designs and implementations comply.
The federal government’s 22-member Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee, which included experts from the National Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Massachusetts Audubon and Bat Conservation International, developed the guidelines. Committee members report they are optimistic that the new guidelines provide a path to better protection for birds and their habitats.
“The guidelines steer wind turbines away from vital habitat…and toward land already marked by development,” says David Yarnold, National Audubon’s President. “They give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a place at the table for siting decisions; they help protect sites with high potential risk for birds; and they minimize habitat fragmentation.” He adds that the guidelines are based on the best available science and “provide a roadmap to better bird protections across each of America’s four great flyways.”
Audubon pushed to ensure that the guidelines address habitat fragmentation, one of the biggest potential impacts of wind development on birds. Wind developers that cooperate with the guidelines will avoid dividing important habitats like forests and grasslands, thus maintaining their suitability for wildlife.
“These first-ever federal guidelines are a game-changer and big win for both wildlife and clean energy,” says Yarnold. “By collaborating with conservationists instead of slugging it out, the wind power industry gains vital support to expand and create jobs, and wildlife gets the protection crucial for survival.”
For its part, the American Bird Conservancy would like to take the voluntary out of the guidelines and instead require wind developers to comply. The group recently filed a petition with the U.S. Department of the Interior calling for mandatory rules protecting millions of birds from the negative impacts of wind energy and rewarding responsible wind energy development.
CONTACTS:
National Audubon,
www.audubon.org;
USFWS “Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines,”
www.fws.gov/windenergy/docs/WEG_final.pdf;
American Bird Conservancy,
www.abcbirds.org.
In Spanish:
Las colisiones de
pájaros han sido uno de los negativos principales del
crecimiento reciente en la energía eólica a través de
Estados Unidos y otras partes. El Servicio de Pesca y Fauna
de EEUU (USFWS) estima que casi medio millón de pájaros
mueren cada año en EEUU a causa de las turbinas de viento.
“Los pájaros pueden morir en choques con las aspas de las
turbina, las torres, líneas de electricidad, o estructuras
relacionadas, y también pueden ser impactados por la
destrucción de hábitat a causa de la localización de
turbinas, cables de electricidad, y vías de acceso,” informa
el grupo no comercial American Bird Conservancy
[Conservación Norteamericana de Pájaros]. “Algunos pájaros,
como el urogallo, son especialmente sensibles a la presencia
de turbinas, y pueden ser espantados de sus lugares
habituales de cría a varias millas de distancia de una
turbina.”
En respuesta a este problema creciente, el
USFWS publicó nuevas pautas federales en marzo de 2012 para constructores en
tierra firme deseosos de evitar o minimizar impactos a pájaros y sus hábitats.
Las pautas son voluntarias en este momento, pero los constructores de turbinas
de viento de EEUU interesados en un proceso más eficiente a través de la
burocracia, y la bendición de grupos ambientales—varios fueron consultados
extensamente durante la preparación de las nuevas pautas—hacen cuanto pueden
para hacer que sus diseños e implementaciones obedezcan cumplan con las reglas.
El Comité consultivo de 22 miembros sobre
Pautas de Turbinas de Viento del gobierno federal, que incluyó a expertos de
National Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife,
Massachusetts Audubon y Bat Conservation International, desarrolló los
reglamentos. Los miembros del comité dicen que tienen confianza que las nuevas
pautas proporcionan un sendero mejor para la protección de pájaros y sus
hábitats.
“Las pautas ordenan que las turbinas de
viento se coloquen lejos de hábitats esenciales…y hacia tierras ya marcadas para
el desarrollo,” dice David Yarnold, el Presidente de National Audubon. “Dan al
Servicio de Pesca y Fauna de EEUU un lugar en la mesa para decisiones de
localización; ayudan a proteger sitios con riesgo potencial alto para pájaros; y
minimizan la fragmentación de habitat.” Agrega que las pautas son basadas en la
mejor ciencia disponible y “proporcionan un mapa para mejorar las protecciones
de pájaros a lo largo de cada una de las cuatro grandes rutas aéreas de
América.”
Audubon puso presión para asegurar que las
pautas tomen en cuenta la fragmentación de hábitats, uno de los impactos
potenciales más grandes del desarrollo de turbinas de viento en pájaros. Los
constructores y urbanizadores que cooperan con las pautas evitarán dividir
hábitats importantes como bosques y prados, manteniendo así su capacidad de
sostener la fauna.
“Estas pautas federales primerísimas son un
juego-cambiador y una victoria grande para tanto la fauna como la energía
ecológica," dice Yarnold. “Colaborando con conservacionistas en vez de pegándose
palos, la industria de energía eólica gana apoyo esencial para expandir y crear
trabajos, y la fauna consigue la protección crucial para su supervivencia.”
Por su parte, la American Bird Conservancy
querría eliminar lo voluntario de las pautas y requerir en su lugar que los
constructores sencillamente obedezcan los reglamentos. El grupo presentó
recientemente una demanda ante el Ministerio del Interior de EEUU para conseguir
reglas obligatorias que protejan a millones de pájaros de los impactos negativos
de la energía eólica y recompensen a los constructores responsables de energía
eólica.
CONTACTOS: National Audubon,
www.audubon.org
; USFWS “Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines,”
www.fws.gov/windenergy/docs/WEG_final.pdf ; American Bird
Conservancy,
www.abcbirds.org
.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario