Audubon is taking a good look at wind energy
By Jack Clarke
Thursday, September 9, 2004

From the waters of Nantucket Sound to the mountains of Berkshire County,
over 200 windmills are under consideration for development in Massachusetts.
Mass Audubon supports the development of wind farms to offset the effects of
global climate change produced by the burning of fossil fuels. However, as
with all real estate deals, the issue is location, location, location.
Climate change is one of the most serious threats to the nature of
Massachusetts and to the planet. It results from burning fossil fuels to
power cars, trucks, planes and trains, and to generate electricity. Though
we make up just 4 percent of the world's population, Americans produce 25
percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

     The development, production, and consumption of fossil fuels damages
the public's health and environment including destruction of wildlife
habitat from drilling and mining; the closure of shell fisheries and fouling
of beaches by oil spills; damage to human health from air and water
pollution; and contamination of groundwater from the disposal of solid and
hazardous waste.

     To reduce these impacts, reliance on fossil fuels as a major source of
energy must be dramatically reduced. As responsible citizens, stewards, and
advocates, Mass Audubon strongly support public policies and private
projects that advance energy conservation and efficiency. Simultaneously, we
support an aggressive increase in the amount of energy derived from
renewable sources.

     Energy conservation and increases in energy efficiency are critically
important, but they will not address entirely the problems arising from
American's insatiable energy appetite. Although the commonwealth's goal to
obtain 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources by the end of the
decade is laudable, it should be a minimum mark and not a maximum target.

     Of the renewable energy options currently available, wind power has the
greatest potential to offset the harmful effects of global climate change.
While all energy choices have environmental impacts, technology to harvest
wind is among the more advanced, widely available, and environmentally
benign of the renewable energy options. The potential environmental risks
associated with wind power facilities, however, must be evaluated against
the proven destructive effects associated with fossil fuels.

     Unfortunately, our state and federal governments have failed to
establish plans and standards for siting, installing, and decommissioning
wind energy facilities. While there are regulations for permitting
windmills, they were developed prior to today's large-scale proposals and
don't address potential risks to birds, wildlife, and remote habitats.

     Government agencies and the wind energy industry would benefit from a
framework of comprehensive planning and facility siting criteria to guide
projects to the most appropriate locations.

     Measures needed to promote the development of wind energy and manage
its effects include establishing leasing programs to compensate the public
for use of state and federal lands and waters. Planning and siting criteria
should be made available to guide environmentally sound site selection,
including on state and federal lands and waters. Local, state and federal
agencies need to refine and, in some instances establish permitting
procedures along with protocols for pre- and post-construction monitoring,
and procedures for decommissioning abandoned wind turbines.

     In the planning, permitting, operation, and decommissioning of wind
energy facilities, the location and size of wind farms must not be a
significant threat to terrestrial, marine, and avian wildlife and habitat.
Special and scarce areas such as old-growth forests should be avoided along
with mountain ridge tops and ocean corridors that are major migratory routes
for birds. Lands and waters documented as important for endangered species
should also be off-limits, as should designated Important Bird Areas.

     Based on the best available information, Mass Audubon will undertake a
risk analysis of certain proposed wind energy projects and weigh the
benefits and detriments of each particular site proposed for development as
we review and comment on each proposal. Mass Audubon will continue to work
with the state and federal government, the energy industry, and
environmental colleagues to ensure rapid progress on reducing reliance on
fossil fuels through conservation and wind energy development while
minimizing the negative environmental impacts. At Mass Audubon, our goal is
that wind energy no longer be considered an alternative.

    


( Jack Clarke is director of advocacy for Mass Audubon. Established in 1896,
Mass Audubon is the largest conservation organization in New England. )