Best Management Practices for Wind Facilities in NM - New Mexico ...
Best Management Practices for Wind Facilities in NM - New Mexico ...
Best Management Practices for Wind Facilities in NM - New Mexico ...
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Christopher Rustay<br />
Playa Lakes Jo<strong>in</strong>t Venture<br />
2012 <strong>NM</strong>AP Avian Electrocution & Collision Prevention<br />
Workshop<br />
15 Feb 2012
<strong>W<strong>in</strong>d</strong> has been<br />
harvested <strong>for</strong><br />
decades
<strong>W<strong>in</strong>d</strong> <strong>Facilities</strong><br />
are new
Effects of w<strong>in</strong>d<br />
facilities on<br />
wildlife are little<br />
studied
Partners<br />
Industry<br />
Environmental consultants<br />
Federal and state agencies<br />
Private landowner cooperatives<br />
Conservation NGOs
Common Goals<br />
Promote “green” energy<br />
Reduce impacts of development to our<br />
environment<br />
Work proactively and cooperatively
<strong>New</strong> <strong>Mexico</strong> <strong>W<strong>in</strong>d</strong> and Wildlife<br />
Collaborative<br />
• Science-based documents<br />
• Short<br />
• Focus on options <strong>for</strong> conservation<br />
• Consensus agreement from group<br />
• Coupled with GIS data, where available<br />
• Served on a website
Format<br />
Background and Identification of<br />
Interaction with <strong>W<strong>in</strong>d</strong> Development<br />
State of the Science<br />
<strong>Best</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Practices</strong><br />
Additional <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation and<br />
Resources Consulted
Wildlife Concerns<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Amphibians and Reptiles<br />
Bats<br />
Large Intact Landscapes<br />
Lesser Prairie-Chicken<br />
Long-billed Curlew<br />
Mounta<strong>in</strong> Plover<br />
Playas<br />
Prairie-dogs<br />
Raptors<br />
Sandhill Crane<br />
Sensitive Plants<br />
Small Mammals
Background and Interaction with <strong>W<strong>in</strong>d</strong><br />
Development<br />
Where wildlife may be affected:<br />
• Specific issues discussed<br />
• Effects <strong>in</strong> the published literature or reasonable<br />
evidence exists<br />
• The l<strong>in</strong>k between w<strong>in</strong>d development and the<br />
wildlife resource needs to be drawn<br />
• L<strong>in</strong>ks could roads, construction, transmission, etc.
Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Lesser Prairie-Chicken<br />
Collision risks unlikely <strong>for</strong> tall structures<br />
Vertical structure and roads cause<br />
reduction <strong>in</strong> nearby nest<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Chickens tend to avoid pass<strong>in</strong>g under<br />
transmission<br />
Chickens tend to avoid<br />
cross<strong>in</strong>g major roads
State of the Science<br />
What is found <strong>in</strong> published literature<br />
What effects can be <strong>in</strong>ferred from<br />
published literature<br />
Where the literature is deficient
Playas
Playas<br />
1) Build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> playa bas<strong>in</strong>s will<br />
damage clay bottom and harm<br />
recharge<br />
2) Waterbirds use playas <strong>in</strong> complexes<br />
more frequently than isolated playas<br />
3) Cranes have documented<br />
collisions; waterfowl collisions <strong>in</strong>ferred
Playas
<strong>Best</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Practices</strong><br />
Basic survey work needed and agencies<br />
<strong>for</strong> consultation<br />
Avoid<br />
M<strong>in</strong>imize<br />
Mitigate
Avoid:<br />
Areas with endangered or threatened<br />
species<br />
Construction dur<strong>in</strong>g breed<strong>in</strong>g season<br />
Build<strong>in</strong>g near areas that attract wildlife<br />
Fragment<strong>in</strong>g large blocks of habitat
M<strong>in</strong>imize<br />
Low disturbance near occupied raptor nests<br />
Limit roads and trenches alongside them<br />
Place facilities out of direct l<strong>in</strong>e between<br />
<strong>for</strong>ag<strong>in</strong>g and loaf<strong>in</strong>g or nest<strong>in</strong>g areas<br />
Keep above ground low and medium voltage<br />
l<strong>in</strong>es to a m<strong>in</strong>imum<br />
Employ red flash<strong>in</strong>g lights on top of structures<br />
Instruct employees to avoid disturb<strong>in</strong>g wildlife<br />
Place facilities at edges of large unbroken<br />
landscapes
Mitigate<br />
Revegetate bare areas after<br />
construction ends<br />
Work with adjacent landowners to create<br />
wildlife-conducive conditions away from<br />
facilities<br />
Develop fund <strong>for</strong> conservation easement<br />
purchases elsewhere of equal value to<br />
habitat lost
Additional In<strong>for</strong>mation and Resources<br />
Literature references<br />
If needed, additional <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation<br />
Species<br />
osprey<br />
northern harrier<br />
ferrug<strong>in</strong>ous hawk<br />
red-tailed hawk<br />
Swa<strong>in</strong>son’s hawk<br />
peregr<strong>in</strong>e falcon<br />
prairie falcon<br />
northern goshawk<br />
Above-ground buffer distance from active<br />
nest<br />
1/2 mile<br />
1/2 mile<br />
1/2 mile<br />
1/2 mile<br />
1/2 mile<br />
1 mile<br />
1/4 mile<br />
1/2 mile
www.pljv.org/w<strong>in</strong>dandwildlife
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