Dead birds found at wind farm
Dense fog, windmills may have played part

Monday, June 23, 2003

Jo Donaldson
Times-News Staffwriter

OAKLAND — Dense fog that affected drivers on Interstate 68 Memorial Day weekend is suspected of playing a large part in the death of about 30 birds at the new wind-energy farm in Tucker County, W.Va.

The birds were found dead at turbine No. 23 of Mountaineer Wind Energy Center on May 23 and 24. A small number of birds collided with the substation itself.

Several Garrett County citizens asked the county commissioners a few weeks ago to withdraw their support of a wind farm proposed on Backbone Mountain, saying there were challenges to the Maryland Public Service Commission’s decision. The citizens were concerned about the dead birds at the West Virginia site.

Studies of possible effects of proposed windmills in Garrett County are ongoing.

Mary Wells, manager of community outreach for FPL Energy, the largest operator of wind farms in the country, including the Mountaineer Wind Center in Tucker County, said, “In response to that severe fog incident that resulted in the death of 30 songbirds, we will keep the lights on our transformer stations turned off at all times. We have a lot of experience, but are not above learning new things.”

According to a report by Paul Kerlinger, a consultant for wind power companies, government and environmental groups, it is important to avoid bright lights at wind plants as well as all other manmade structures on the sites.

Wells said that the turbine where most of the birds hit is very near the substation. “It is important to realize that this is a very unusual situation. We solved that problem by not having those lights on anymore, except when necessary for maintenance.”

“It was a real foggy day,” said Charlie Martin, assistant manager at Mountaineer Wind Center, which is located south of Oakland. “The birds appeared to be heading toward the lights at the substation. They hit the tower at lower than 100 feet, not the blades,” he said.

“This was a single incident and the problem was corrected,” said Martin. With the 44 turbines operating since December, there have been few bird deaths. “People come in and monitor it,” he said.

Kerlinger is also consultant for Clipper Windpower Inc., the company planning to build 67 windmills on a 12-mile stretch of Backbone Mountain along state Route 560 in Garrett County.

Construction of the windmills in Garrett County should begin this summer or early fall, said Kevin Rackstraw, Clipper’s Eastern Regional leader.

A Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity was issued by the Public Service Commission in March. Hearing Examiner Allen Freifeld said he made his decision and did not have information on any appeal.

“We believe there was no legitimate legal basis for changing the decision,” said Rackstraw. “Our position is that the CPCN is final. There was a challenge,” he said.

“My understanding was that the permit had been granted and that was the order they needed to proceed with the project,” said County Commissioner Ernie Gregg. “If there was an appeal, I am unaware of it.

“We felt that it had due consideration. People on both sides of the issue were given an opportunity to present their views and the Public Service Commission issued the permit application to proceed.”

More information about bird mortalities is available at www.currykerlinger.com.

© Copyright 2003 The Cumberland Times-News