8492282 wind energy final

8/2/2019 8492282 Wind Energy Final

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Environmental Impacts of

Wind-Energy Projects Aswindenergydevelopmentcontinuestoexpand,federal,stateandlocalagencies

shouldadoptaconsistentapproachtoevaluatingtheplanning,regulation,andlocationof

wind-energyprojects.ThisNationalResearchCouncilreportproposesaframeworkthatcan

help in evaluating tradeoffs between the benets of new wind-energy projects and risks of

adverseenvironmentalimpactsbeforeprojectsbegin.

There has been rapid growth in theconstruction of wind-poweredelectricity generating facilities

over the past 25 years in the United States. Asthe nation considers options for future energydevelopment, environmental questions haveemerged as important considerations. Wind-energy facilities emit no atmospheric pollutantsand are driven by a renewable source, addressingmultiple environmental concerns such as airquality and climate change. But the expansion ofsuch facilities can carry adverse environmentalimpacts.

Wind energy provided about 1% of U.S.electricity in 2006 (Figure 1 shows distributionof installed capacity). An often-mentionedadvantage of using wind-energy facilities is the

reduction of thermal and atmospheric pollutionassociated with fossil fuel-based energyfacilities. According to current projectionsfor use of wind energy in 2020, use of thetechnology could reduce the energy sectorsemissions of carbon dioxide by about 4.5% in2020. However, more steps need to be taken to

assess potentially negative impactsincludingthreats to wildlife and sightlinesand evaluatetradeoffs between benets and possible adverseenvironmental impacts.

The National Research Council was askedby Congress to review the positive and negativeenvironmental impacts of wind-energy develop-ment, including effects on landscapes, views,wildlife, habitats, air pollution, and greenhousegases.

FederalAgenciesLackExperience

BecauseDecisionsMadeLocally

Wind-energy projects exist in 36 states.California has had them since the early 1980s.Most wind turbines are approved through local

zoning boards and state authorities. But moststate governments, the Federal Energy Regula-tory Commission, the Department of the Interior,and the Environmental Protection Agency donot have extensive experience with anticipating,reviewing, and assessing their impacts. The de-velopment of a more extensive knowledge base

Figure1. Totalinstalled U.S.wind-energycapacity inmegawatts:

11,603 mega-watts as ofDec 31, 2006.Source:American WindEnergyAssociation

2007.


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is needed so state and federal agencies can evaluatethese impacts in order to better carry out their mandateto protect species and to weigh tradeoffs between thetechnologys environmental benets and impacts.

The report urges federal and state agencies totake the environmental impacts of wind-energy moreseriously as part of planning, locating, and regulating

these facilities. This is because some bird and bat col-lisions with spinning blades and towersespeciallyalong migration corridorsmay begin to threatenlocal populations of some species if wind facilitiesrapidly expand over the next 20 years. The reportnotes that bat populations in the nations Mid-Atlanticand several other regionsof the country may be

particularly at risk.

EffectsofWind-

EnergyProjectson

WildlifeDevelopment of

wind power is on anupswing, particularly inthe past seven years (seeFigure 2). Out of a totalof perhaps 1 billion birdskilled annually as a resultof human structures,vehicles and activities,somewhere between20,000 and 37,000 diedin 2003 as a result of col-lisions with wind-energyfacilities.

However, the crucialissue is whether theseimpacts affect whole populations of certain species.At the current level of U.S. installed wind capacity,the report found no evidence of signicant impacts

on bird populations. One possible exception is certainbirds of prey in California whose threatened statusmay be aggravated by collisions with older wind-en-ergy technology at one area in the state. In light of thelack of follow-up studies of environmental impacts

of these facilities, more careful tracking of bird andbat populations, behavior, migration corridors, andother factors that may affect their risk of collisionswith turbines is warranted, especially for threatened orendangered species.

To provide a systematic approach to wind energyand its effects, the reports evaluation guide (see nextpage) recommends using systematic pre- and post-construction studies to explore potential wildlife andother impacts and improve how such facilities arebuilt, located, and operated.

PotentialImpactsofWind-EnergyProjects

onPropertyValues

Perceptions of wind-energy projects, like otherpotentially controversial developments, vary depend-ing on the characteristics of the surrounding communi-ty. Residents living near proposed facilities may resist

having their views and sightlines altered. The potentialnuisance created by ickering shadows resulting fromspinning blades has been raised in other countries withwind-energy facilities but has not been a signicant

issue to date in the United States.Several research studies failed to detect an

average effect of wind-energy facilities onproperty values withina ten-mile radius ofthe sites. Despite thedifculty of reachingreliable conclusions

about property valueimpacts, it is possibleto identify some of thekey factors involved.Aesthetic impacts couldbe important, especiallywhen a property isvaluable for a purposeincompatible withwind-energy projects,such as to experiencelife in a remote andrelatively untouched

area. In this scenarioa view that includes awind-energy projectmay detract from

property values. On the other hand, to the extent that awind-energy project contributes to the prosperity of anarea, it may help to bring in amenities and, therefore,may enhance property values. In addition, landownerscan be paid about $3,000 per year per turbine on theirproperty.

Because the construction of wind installations inthe United States is a relatively recent phenomenon,

the long-term effects of wind-energy projects onproperty values are difcult to assess, according to thereport. While property values may be initially affectedby a wind-energy project, the effect may diminish asthe project becomes an accepted part of the landscape.

ConsiderationofOtherEcologicalImpacts

Although research and monitoring studies are notextensive, a review of existing studies indicates thatadverse effects of wind-energy facilities on ecosystems

Figure2.U.S. installed wind power capacity (in megawatts)has increased sharply over the past 10 years. Source: AmericanWind Energy Association 2007.

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GuideforEvaluatingWind-EnergyProjects

Someelementstoconsiderinpolicy,planning,andpublicrelations1. Have mechanisms been established to provide necessary information to interested and affected parties, and to seek meaningfulinput from them as wind-energy projects are planned and implemented? Are developers required to provide early notication of theirintent to develop wind energy?2. Are proceduresincluding policies and regulationsin place for evaluating the impacts of wind-energy projects that cross juris-dictional boundaries?3. Is guidance available to developers, regulators, and the public about what kinds of information are needed for review, what de-

grees of adverse and benecial effects of proposed wind-energy developments should be considered critical in evaluating a proposedproject, and how competing costs and benets of a proposed project should be weighed with regard to that proposal only, or bycomparison with likely alternatives?4. Are regional planning documents available that provide guidance on the quality of wind resources, capacity of transmission op-

tions, potential markets, major areas of concern, and tradeoffs that should be considered?

LegalandRegulatoryConsiderations1. Are wind-energy guidelines and regulations issued by different federal agencies compatible, are those guidelines and regulationsaligned with other federal regulating rules and regulations, and do the guidelines and regulations follow acceptable scientic prin-ciples when establishing data requirements?2. Does the review process include steps that explicitly address the cumulative impacts of wind-energy projects over space andtime; that is, by reviewing each new project in the context of other existing and planned projects in the region?

EvaluationofImpacts1. Are the biological, aesthetic, cultural, and socioeconomic attributes of the region sufciently well known to allow an accurateassessment of the environmental impacts of the wind-energy project, and to distinguish among the potential sites considered during

the site selection process? Are there species, habitats, recreational areas, or cultural sites of special interest or concern that will beaffected by the project? Are there key gaps in the needed information that should be addressed with further research before a projectis approved or to guide the operation of an approved project?

EnvironmentalImpacts1. What environmental mitigation measures will be taken and how will their effectiveness be measured? Are there any legal require-ments for such measures (e.g., habitat conservation plans)? Are any listed species at risk from the proposed facility?2. How and by whom will the environmental impacts be evaluated once the project is in operation? If these evaluations indicateneeded changes in the operation of the facility, how will such a decision be made and how will their implementation be assured?3. What pre-siting studies for site selection and pre-construction studies for impact assessment and mitigation planning are required?4. What post-construction studies, with appropriate controls, are required to evaluate impacts, modify mitigation if needed, andimprove future planning?

ImpactsonHumanHealthandWell-Being1. Have pre-construction noise surveys been conducted to determine the background noise levels? Will technical assessments of theoperational noise levels be conducted? Is there an established process to resolve complaints from the operation of the turbines?

2. Is there a process in place to address complaints of shadow icker and does the operator use the best software programs to mini-mize any icker?

AestheticImpacts1. Has the project planning involved professional assessment of potential visual impacts, using established techniques such as thoserecommended by the U.S. Forest Service or U.S. Bureau of Land Management?2. How have the public and the locally affected inhabitants been involved in evaluating the potential aesthetic and visual impacts?

CulturalImpacts1. Has there been expert consideration of the possible impacts of the project on recreational opportunities and on historical, sacred,

and archeological sites?

EconomicandFiscalImpacts1. Have the direct economic impacts of the project been accurately evaluated, including the types and pay scales of the jobs pro-duced during the construction and operational phases, the taxes that will be produced, and costs to the public?2. Has there been a careful explication of the indirect economic costs and benets, including opportunity costs and the distribution

of monetary and non-monetary benets and costs?3. Are the guarantees and mitigation measures designed to t the project and address the interests of the community members and

the local jurisdictions?

ElectromagneticInterference1. Has the developer assessed the possibility of radio, television, and radar interference?

CumulativeEffects1. How will cumulative effects be assessed, and what will be included in that assessment (i.e., the effects only of other wind-energyinstallations, or of all other electricity generators, or of all other anthropogenic impacts on the area)? Have the spatial and temporalscales of the cumulative-effects assessment been specied?


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CommitteeonEnvironmentalImpactsofWind-EnergyProjects:PaulRisser(Chair), University of Oklahoma;

IngridBurke, University of Colorado; ChristopherClark, Cornell University;MaryEnglish, University of Ten-

nessee; SidneyGauthreaux,Jr., Clemson University; SherriGoodman, Center for Naval Analyses; JohnHayes,

University of Florida; ArpadHorvath, University of California, Berkeley; ThomasKunz, Boston University; Lance

Manuel, University of Texas, Austin;ErikLundtangPetersen, Ris National Laboratory, Denmark; DaleStrick-

land, Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc.; JeanVissering, Jean Vissering Landscape Architecture; JamesRoder-

ickWebb, University of Virginia; and RobertWhitmore, West Virginia UniversityThisreportbriefwaspreparedbytheNationalResearchCouncilbasedonthecommitteesreport.

For more information or copies, contact the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology at (202)

334-3060 or visit http://nationalacademies.org/best. Copies ofEnvironmental Impacts of Wind-Energy

Projects are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

20001; (800) 624-6242; www.nap.edu.

This study was supported by funds from the Executive Ofce the President, Council on Envrionmental Quality.

Permission granted to reproduce this brief in its entirety with no additions or alterations.

2007TheNationalAcademyofSciences

have occurred. The construction and maintenance re-quired to install wind turbines and roads alters ecosys-tems through the clearing of vegetation, soil disrup-tion, and the potential for erosion and noise. Thesechanges can lead to habitat loss and fragmentation forforest-dependent species. This impact is particularlyimportant in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands, because

wind-energy projects there have all been constructedor proposed in forested areas.Plants and animals throughout an ecosystem re-

spond differently to changes in forests, and although nodeaths of animals listed under the Endangered SpeciesAct have been recorded to date, agencies should evalu-ate this possibility. This knowledge shouldbe weighed using the evaluation guide (seeprevious page) outlined in the report tominimize ecological impacts and informdecisions on planning, siting, and operation.

ComparativeResearchonEnvi-

ronmentalImpactsisCrucial

As policymakers weigh strategies forfuture energy development, an ability tocompare the environmental impacts andbenets of various options will improve the

information base for decisions. But a lackof side-by-side information on the environ-mental costs and benets of wind-energy

development compared with other types ofenergy facilities makes it difcult to project

impacts on wildlife and ecosystems for thedifferent energy options policymakers and

developers are considering.To address this lack of information,

the reports evaluation guide will helpassess the environmental effects of wind-

energy projects before they are built and after installa-tion. Such information will facilitate comparisons withother energy options. The guide contains a matrix,which is not pictured, for coordinating the review ofwind-energy projects across federal, regional/stateand local governments. It addresses a range of issuesincluding legal, regulatory, health, environmental,

aesthetic, cultural, and economic impacts.Objective, systematic methods of assessingaesthetic impacts, including visual impacts, are avail-able, such as some methods used by the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service. They can and should be adapted touse for wind-energy projects.

The Guide for Evaluation of Wind-EnergyProjects emphasizes the need to createopportunities for public input by incor-porating participation by those whosewell-being may be affected by sitingdecisions so these impacts can be mini-mized or avoided. The guide should beroutinely used to help organize regulato-ry reviews and encourage public input.As a result, the public, policymakers,energy developers, state and federalagencies, and other interested groupswill have a richer information base fordecision-making.

In addition, government agenciescould use this guide to develop meth-ods for addressing tradeoffs betweenthe benets, costs, and environmentalimpacts of wind-energy facilities incomparison with other energy options,which are seldom evaluated this com-

prehensively. This will help informfuture choices about which types ofenergy development should be pursuedto meet the nations growing needs.

8492282 wind energy final

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