Abstract
The following document provides voluntary guidelines that promote scientifically sound, cost-effective methods for assessing and evaluating potential impacts on birds and bats from wind energy development projects within the southern Colorado Plateau. The principal goal is to provide a broadly accepted document, adaptable to locations throughout the region that will encourage wind energy resource assessment and development that is scientifically sufficient and in compliance with laws and regulations in place to protect birds and bats in the region. By employing standardized survey methods and protocols, all interested organizations and individuals can more accurately assess potential risks and calculate impacts to birds and bats from wind development. Methods and protocols necessarily are flexible and general in nature to accommodate for site- specific concerns and project related limitations. These guidelines do not supersede current requirements and regulations imposed by federal, tribal, and state agencies, nor do they reflect the opinion or views of any one agency or organization.
Included in these voluntary guidelines is information on current laws, policies, and existing guidelines in the region, and recommended procedures, protocols and information sources needed to complete preliminary site evaluations, pre-construction surveys, and post-construction and operations monitoring and risk assessment for birds and bats at proposed wind energy facilities in northern Arizona and on the southern Colorado Plateau.