| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
State releases two studies showing wind turbines no threat to wildlife
Credit: By Michael Norton | State House News Service | Oct 25, 2016 | www.southcoasttoday.com ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Two studies released by the Baker administration Tuesday found “no significant conflicts” between wildlife and offshore wind development in federally designated areas off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard that are being eyed for large-scale wind farms.
The studies were funded by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust and looked at the presence of endangered whale, turtle and bird species, according to the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Baker administration officials say the studies deliver baseline data that they hope will expedite the federal permitting process for wind energy developers who hope to help the state meet its new goal of providing 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind power.
The whale and turtle data was collected based on 76 aerial surveys conducted between October 2011 and June 2015. Researchers also used more than 1,000 days of continuous underwater acoustic recordings for whales.
New England Aquarium researchers sighted 60 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales during their observations.
College of Staten Island researchers recorded 25 species of seabirds and two “hot spots” where larger than usual aggregations of seabirds occurred on a regular basis, according to state environmental officials.
“This multi-year study is a major advance in the scientific understanding of marine mammals in what was largely a previously un-surveyed and uncharacterized habitat revealing new right whale habitat-use patterns and demonstrating consistent seasonal occurrence in portions of the study area,” New England Aquarium Chief Scientist of Marine Mammals Dr. Scott D. Kraus said in a statement. “The study provides a robust baseline assessment to inform the federal permitting process, and will help inform strategies to minimize or avoid impacts from construction or operations.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Paypal) |
 (via Stripe) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=79994 ]
