Abstract
A Phase I avian risk assessment was conducted for Atlantic Renewable Energy Corporation for the Flat Rock Wind Power Project west of West Lowville, Lewis County, New York. The report that resulted was finalized in 2002 (Kerlinger 2002) and included the assessment of risk for a project that originally consisted of about 66 turbines and a nameplate power generation capacity of about 99 megawatts. Since the report was completed, the originally proposed project has been changed, with respect to the geographic extend of the project and the number of turbines (i.e., generation capacity). The Flat Rock Wind Power project that was originally assessed is now being considered as the Phase One portion of the Flat Rock project and an additional area, hereafter referred to as Phase Two, is now being considered for development.
This report is an addendum to the Phase I avian risk assessment (Kerlinger 2002). It includes a description of changes to the Phase One portion of the Flat Rock Wind Power Project, details regarding the Phase Two portion of the project, and an approximation of potential risk that may result from the larger project. In addition, the report identifies the uncertainties of predicting avian risk for the Phase Two portion of the project and additional research that is needed to more thoroughly assess risk.
Phase One - Project Changes. Only one potential change has been made to the original Phase One project previously assessed by Kerlinger (2002). That change includes the possible addition of about 14 turbines to the Phase One project. This would bring the total number of turbines within the Phase One boundary to about 80 from the previous 66 that were proposed.
Phase Two - Project Description. The Phase Two project is proposed for the properties immediately surrounding the Phase One project area (Figure 1). The largest expansions are to the south, of Roaring Brook and to the west of Porter Road. These areas and the others around the Phase One boundary, basically double the area within the boundary of the original Flat Rock project. Within the Phase Two area between about 80 and 117 turbines would be constructed. The maximum number of turbines within the two Phases would be about 183, although this is tentative. These turbines would produce the electrical equivalent usage of about 275 megawatts of emission free power. The turbines used in Phase Two would be about the same size as those proposed for Phase One; each providing a nameplate 1.5 megawatts of power per turbine. The towers would be 80 m (262 feet) tubular towers with a 35.25 m (116 feet) long rotor. Towers would be lit according to FAA obstruction lighting guidelines and, if permitted by FAA, correspond to the recommendations of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service communication tower guidance document. All transmission within the project site would be underground. Any differences in transmission lines from the site to the grid are described in other Atlantic Renewable documents.