Bats & Wind Energy: Best Management Practices

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Eileen Arnold
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1 Bats & Wind Energy: Best Management Practices Michael Schirmacher Cris Hein NRCS webinar 20 August

2 Goals Inform landowners of the impact of wind energy development on bats To provide science-based Best Management Practices (BMPs) for development and operation of wind turbines to reduce the risk to bats

3 NRCS Mission and Other Policy NRCS NRCS helps America s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners conserve the nation s soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment. NRCS - Energy Farmers and ranchers can cut input costs, maintain production, protect soil and water resources, reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels, and save money by using the conservation practices described on this web site. USDA will continue to support conservation practices that save producers money and improve the environmental health of the nation.

4 Benefits of Bats 42 of the 45 species of bats in the U.S. consume insects, many of which are agricultural or forest pests Primary predators of night-flying insects Save farmers, on average $23 Billion each year Control forest pests Reduce potentially dangerous vectors of disease

Controlling Insect Populations Brazilian

tons of insects each night McCracken et al.

brasiliensis: Molossidae,Chiroptera) at high

populations: Integrative and Comparative

5 Controlling Insect Populations Brazilian free-tailed bats in Texas consume up to 200 tons of insects each night McCracken et al Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis: Molossidae,Chiroptera) at high altitude: links to migratory insect populations: Integrative and Comparative Biology. Volume 48 page 107. Permission from Oxford University Press.

6 Wind Energy in the U.S.

Impact of Wind Energy Development on Bats in the U.S.

bats between 2000 2011 196,190 395,886 bats in 2012 78%

(38%), eastern red (22%), silver-haired (19%) Brazilian

7 Impact of Wind Energy Development on Bats in the U.S. & Canada (Arnett & Baerwald 2013) 840,486 1,690,696 bats between , ,886 bats in % of fatalities are migratory tree-roosting bats hoary (38%), eastern red (22%), silver-haired (19%) Brazilian free-tailed bats vulnerable in their range 21 species in U.S.

8 Impacts Compounded by WNS (Arnett & Baerwald 2013) Several species impacted by WNS also can make up high % of fatalities Little brown bat (6.0% overall, as high as 60%) Tri-colored bat (5.6% overall, as high as 25%)

9 Best Management Practices Based on best available science Evolve overtime as we better understand the issue (i.e., Adaptive Management) Applicable for small or large wind projects Why follow them? Bats naturally provide ecosystem services Reduce risk of your investment Environmentally responsible

10 Communication Communicate with state and federal wildlife agencies during all phases of planning and development Follow all applicable local, state, and federal laws Reduce the risk and impact Toxic spills Water quality Endangered species Use available data from state and federal wildlife agencies, NGOs, and pre-construction surveys to avoid high risk areas for bats.

11 Avoid Siting Turbines Near bat hibernacula maternity roosts migration corridors foraging and commuting flyways wetlands riparian areas open water sources canyon edges forest openings and edge connectivity between features (i.e. Barrier effect)

12 Siting Example Texas Hill Country High concentrations of agriculturally important Brazilian free-tailed bats that are known to be extremely susceptible to wind turbine development

Invasive species Leafy spurge 110 million in 1990 (Simberloff 1996) Cost public $137 billion a year (Pimentel

13 Local Development and Native Plants Refer to state and federal agencies guidance when seeding or planting native seeds during restoration Use local machinery and/or decontaminate to limit spread of invasive species Invasive species Leafy spurge 110 million in 1990 (Simberloff 1996) Cost public $137 billion a year (Pimentel et al. 1999) 46% of endangered plants and animals have been negatively impacted by Invasive species (Wilcove 1998)

Reduce the Direct and Indirect Impacts to Bats During all phases of development Limit the amount of disturbed areas during construction Site turbines to avoid separating bats

14 Reduce the Direct and Indirect Impacts to Bats During all phases of development Limit the amount of disturbed areas during construction Site turbines to avoid separating bats from their daily roosting, commuting and foraging areas. Minimize lighting at operations and maintenance facilities within a half mile of wind turbines to limit attracting insects

Limit Impact Minimize vehicle collision risk to wildlife by instructing project personnel to drive at appropriate speeds Reduce fire hazard from vehicles and

15 Limit Impact Minimize vehicle collision risk to wildlife by instructing project personnel to drive at appropriate speeds Reduce fire hazard from vehicles and human activities Wildlife habitat enhancements or improvements, such as ponds or other water sources should not be created or added to the wind energy facility

16 Conduct Scientifically-Credible Monitoring Studies During all phases of development Form a Technical Advisory Committee Perform studies to Predict risk pre-construction studies Understand impact Post-construction studies

17 Methods for Predicting Risk Acoustic detectors, radar, mist-netting, investigating potential roost, and colony counts at known roost sites

18 Pre-construction Acoustic Studies Minimum 1 year All seasons bats are active If unsure, year round Multiple locations/habitats Multiple heights Relate activity to weather data

19 Relating Activity to Weather Bat activity decrease with wind speed Bat activity increase with temperature

20 Bat fatalities/mw Pre/Post-construction Relationship Fitted Line Plot fatalities/mw = Passes/det-nt Regression 95% PI R-Sq 28.9% R-Sq(adj) 21.8% Bat passes/detector-night 12 14

21 Methods for Assessing Impact Post-construction monitoring may include, fatality searches, acoustic detectors, radar, and thermal imaging.

plot height of the turbine Define searchable area Search Transects 6m At least

22 Minimum 2 years All seasons bats are active If unsure, year round Minimum of 30% of turbines Search plot at least ½ the height of the turbine with at least part of the plot height of the turbine Define searchable area Search Transects 6m At least every 3 days but Daily searches can help relate fatalities to weather Fatality Surveys

23 Conduct bias trials Search Efficiency Carcass Persistence Calculate the densityweighted proportion of fatalities Accounts for unsearchable area Consider the assumptions of estimators Fatality Estimates

24 Variables Associated with Fatality Using fresh fatalities Weather Turbine operation Example Develop cost/benefit analysis

25 Cooperation Participate in ongoing research Operational minimization Deterrent research Behavioral studies

Modern turbines Turbine Information Blade length ~30 60 m Hub height ~60 100 m RSZ

26 Modern turbines Turbine Information Blade length ~30 60 m Hub height ~ m RSZ ~3,000 10,000 m 2 or acres Rated power ~1 3 MW Max tip speed ~ mph

27 General Turbine Operations Turbine start-up speed - speed at which rotor and blade assembly begins to rotate Cut-in speed minimum wind speed when turbines will generate useable power (e.g. 3-4 m/s) Rated speed minimum wind speed when turbine will generate its designated rated power (e.g. 1.5 mw) Cut-in speed Modified from Fowler Ridge HCP by West

28 Other considerations When bats are at highest risk Operational minimization Feather turbines below manufactures cut-in speed Or scientifically establish cut-in speeds (e.g. 5 m/s. 6.5 m/s)

Operational minimization Normal operation ~ 91 bats/turbine Turbine operation at winds speed >5 m/s ~38 bats/turbine Turbine operation at wind speeds >6.

29 Operational minimization Normal operation ~ 91 bats/turbine Turbine operation at winds speed >5 m/s ~38 bats/turbine Turbine operation at wind speeds >6.5 m/s 23 bats/turbine Another study showed similar fatality reduction Loss of annual power at 5 m/s was 0.3% Loss of annual power at 6.5 m/s was 1%

30 Dissemination Submit data to existing databases (e.g., American Wind Wildlife Institute s Research Information System, and reports to the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative s website. Imperative to improve BMP

31 Resources Land-based wind energy guidelines. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NWCC Comprehensive Guide to Studying Wind Energy/Wildlife Interactions Websites American Wind Energy Association American Wind and Wildlife Institute Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative Department of Energy: Wind Global Wind Energy Council National Renewable Energy Laboratory National Wind Coordinating Collaborative U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Wind U.S. Geological Survey: Wind

32 We Thank All Our Past, Current & Future Partners! (706) (843)

Avian and Bat Studies Summary Presentation

PLEASANT RIDGE EXHIBIT 113 Avian and Bat Studies Summary Presentation Pleasant Ridge Energy LLC Livingston County, Illinois Personal Qualifications Terry VanDeWalle BS in Animal Ecology; MA in Biology