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Wind Energy in Virginia - A Balanced Approach
Wind energy has been used effectively and successfully
globally and is a renewable energy option of great potential
in Virginia. Wind energy is desirable in that it has no
transportation costs after setup, no fuel, no waste, no
emission control, no storage waste. Debt service is for
“in the ground” set up costs with minimal maintenance
and thus can lead to reduced energy costs after debt service
is paid.
Wind energy has many positives and much support among
stakeholders; however, it is largely unregulated and concerns
have been documented recently by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service on bird and bat kills and by Congress on need
for policy consistent with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act,
the Bald Eagle Protection Act, and the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969.
A balanced approach in Wind Energy Siting will ensure
that Community-based energy services provide incentive
community-dollars (the new CASH Crop) and protection of
viewsheds, habitat, and avian species with the community
participating directly in its economic development and
future savings.
The Code of Virginia, Virginia Administrative Code relate
to Renewable (wind) Energy Tax Credits, but the SCC has
not imposed regulations on new Renewable Energy choices.
There is no special regulation on siting, bonding, liability,
or environmental assessments for commercial-scale wind
development under Virginia administrative code. We find
other states ready to avoid environmental assessments
for wind energy. This is an unwise direction for Virginia’s
energy choice. Community-based revenue modeling could
provide credit opportunities to counties that might seek
affordable energy alternatives and economic development
through wind project development, while protecting environmental
and viewshed values. There are federal financial incentives
and equity in local ownership that could accrue to the
communities. The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals
and Energy (DMME) is responsible for Virginia renewable
energy policy. The VWEC, supported by DMME and federal
funding sources, was created in 2002 “to promote the balanced
development of wind energy across the Commonwealth.” A
VWEC working group of conservation organization representatives
is completing a readily accessible environmental database
to facilitate macro-siting decisions for utility scale
wind energy developments so that sites with significant
natural resource values are avoided to the greatest extent
possible and to insure that project development proceeds
without unacceptable environmental harm.
The USFWS issued a voluntary “interim Guidance” that
recommends preliminary bird migration patterns studies
during all seasons for two years prior to approval for
any wind energy site. Such study would include pre-and
post-construction mortality research and monitoring. A
census of wildlife activity should precede the building
of a wind farm [factory]. ...(USF&WS) has little enforcement
power unless an endangered or threatened animal is actually
killed. (Sci Am Feb 2004) Bird and bat issues are a big
black hole in our knowledge. We do not know what impact
large turbine factories will have in the Eastern US. Most
wind turbines in the US are in semi-arid regions. Melvin
Tuttle, (Mr. Bat), says, “We really know not nearly as
much as we should about rates of bat [wind turbine] mortality,”
Bat Conservation International and the American Wind Energy
Association have initiated a study of turbine impacts
on bats.
While broad-based avian issues are being looked at by
the Wind Energy Industry and US Fish and Wildlife, most
biologists are coming to a consensus that a minimum two-year
study of avian impacts is needed prior to turbine construction.
Yet this is not required by law and weakened federal environmental
regulations may preclude protection by those seeking to
eliminate the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
and public comment.
Virginia needs a task force study on wind energy siting
that will complement Virginia’s energy needs without compromising
wildlife habitat and scenic viewsheds. The VWEC is doing
a scientific, peer reviewed study that addresses environmental
issues associated with the siting of commercial-scale
wind projects in Virginia. This study will provide a preliminary
analysis of landscape suitability for project siting and
the need for environmental study and review. We propose
a Legislative (JLARC) Study of wind energy that will address
state regulation and enforcement, community-based revenue
stream and pricing, ecological health of communities and
their viewsheds, and the development of regulatory policy
for wind energy consistent with our treaty and statutory
obligations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the
Bald Eagle Protection Act is needed.
Such a study should:
- Identify and analyze relationships between areas most
appropriate for preservation and areas most appropriate
or desired for wind development. 2.
- Recommend guidelines, principles, and best practices
to be utilized at the local level to help site wind
energy projects. 3.
- Recommend voluntary guidelines or model agreements
for land leases for wind energy development. 4.
- Recommend voluntary local siting guidelines for wind
energy development. 5.
- Develop tools that can be used in the decision making
process to site wind energy projects. 6.
- Identify policies or authorizations needed by local
government to address multi county or regional issues.
7.
- View efforts for land trusts and other mechanisms
to preserve Virginia viewsheds and avian habitat. 8.
- Consider that wind energy in Virginia cannot be viewed
in isolation: anything the Task Force recommends may
have application and be of value to other areas of the
state. 9.
- Ensure that Community-based revenue will accrue at
the highest possible level for future uses. 10.
- Ensure that all guidelines are consistent with the
interim guidelines recommended by the US Fish and Wildlife
Service for the protection of avian and bat species,
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act, and the Bald Eagle Protection Act to
include pre/post bird/bat mortality.
Margaret O’Bryan, Richmond Audubon, 804-746-5599, heron329@aol.com
Diana Parker, Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter 804-748-7842
erthshr@comcast.net
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