Abstract
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) wind powering America small wind program is providing technical assistance to native communities and Coast Guard facilities in southwest Alaska. Providing wind as a supplemental power source adds renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Part of this technical assistance is to provide an evaluation of potential risks to wildlife from construction and operation of small wind generators at isolated locations.
The methods used in this study included obtaining and reviewing existing information, site visits by two wildlife biologists experienced in evaluation and siting of wind power facilities, and an assessment of probable impacts on birds and bats, based on the available information. Existing information included available published and unpublished information and databases, and identifying and interviewing local and regional state and federal wildlife biologists and other knowledgeable individuals familiar with the sites under consideration. The methods used by the biologists were the same as those used by Northwest Wildlife Consultants, Inc. (2003) in a similar study in Southeast Alaska in the spring of 2003.