Abstract
Government regulators, scientists, and other stakeholders met in May 1998 to discuss research and regulatory approaches that could be helpful in predicting, measuring, and reducing the numbers of birds killed by collisions with wind turbines. This meeting was the third in a series that the Avian Subcommitee of the National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC) has convened as part of the Subcommittee's efforts to address and build consensus on issues of public policy, scientific research, and stakeholder/ public involvement related to avian/wind power interactions. The Proceedings of the first two meetings, held in 1994 and 1995, were published in 1995 and 1996, respectively. They can be accessed on the NWCC's website, as described on page (ii) of this volume.
Meeting III: The third meeting in the series was held in San Diego on 27-29 May 1998. The presentations given at that meeting, and the results of the follow up discussions, are documented in this Proceedings volume. The purposes of the third meeting were as follows:
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to facilitate scientific interchange on avian/wind power interactions;
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to share information about the findings of studies of those interactions as study results are obtained;
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to share information about new and developing techniques for research and mitigation; and
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to identify data gaps and set priorities for future research.
Meeting III was structured into four main sections: (1) An introduction, including a summary of Planning Meetings I and II, (2) a series of presentations reviewing current and planned research on the bird/wind power issue, (3) additional presentations discussing new and evolving technology and methods that deserve consideration for use in future studies, and (4) a discussion to identify data gaps and questions that need additional research.
Table of Contents:
- REVIEW OF CURRENT AND PLANNED RESEARCH
- Bird Risk Behaviors and Fatalities at the Altamont Wind Resource Area
- A Population Study of Golden Eagles in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area: Population Trend Analysis 1994-1997
- Avian Mitigation Plan: Kenetech Model Wind Turbines, Altamont Pass WRA, California
- The Role of Visual Acuity in Bird-Wind Turbine Interactions
- Avian Monitoring and Risk Assessment at Tehachapi Pass and San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Areas, California: Phase 1 Preliminary Results
- Effects of Bird Deterrent Methods Applied to Wind Turbines at the CARES Wind Power Site in Washington State
- Wildlife Monitoring Studies for the SeaWest Wind Power Development, Carbon County, Wyoming
- Impacts of a Small Wind Power Facility in Weld County, Colorado on Breeding, Migrating, and Wintering Birds: Preliminary Results and Conclusions
- Avian Use, Flight Behavior, and Mortality on the Buffalo Ridge, Minnesota, Wind Resource Area
- Avian Issues in the Development of Wind Energy in Western Minnesota
- Wind/Bird Interaction Studies in Wisconsin
- An Assessment of the impacts of Green Mountain Power Corporation’s Searsburg, Vermont, Wind Power Facility on Breeding and Migrating Birds
- Studies on Nocturnal Flight Paths and Altitudes of Waterbirds in Relation to Wind Turbines: A Review of Current Research in The Netherlands
- Bird Behavior In and Near a Wind Farm at Tarifa, Spain: Management Considerations
- The European Perspective: Some Lessons from Case Studies
- A Review of Recent Developments in Wind Energy and Bird Research in Western Europe
- TECHNOLOGY AND METHODS FOR THE FUTURE
- Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document - Executive Summary
- Bird Migration and Wind Turbines: Migration Timing, Flight Behavior and Collision Risk
- Applications of Acoustic Bird Monitoring for the Wind Power Industry
- Radar, Remote Sensing and Risk Management
- The Use of Radar in Evaluations of Avian-Wind Development Projects: Norris Hill Wind Resource Area, Montana
- Night Vision and Thermal Imaging Equipment
- Using GPS to Study Avian Interactions Associated with Wind Turbines
- Examples of Statistical Methods to Assess Risk of Impacts to Birds from Wind Plants
- Development of a Practical Modeling Framework for Estimating the Impact of Wind Technology on Bird Populations