DEC proposes wind energy bird, bat protection guidelines

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January 24, 2008

Anonymous The Press Republican Thu Jan 24, 2008, 01:11 PM EST

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State environmental officials want wind energy developers to pay closer attention to how their projects will affect birds and bats.

The Department of Environmental Conservation proposed a set of guidelines to promote wind power and minimize the danger to birds and bats.

Developers have been required to analyze how wind projects would affect wildlife before they are allowed to build and the new guidelines will standardize that review.

The guidelines released Thursday would determine how wind energy developers estimate bird and bat populations and how many would be killed by colliding with the giant towers and rotating blades

New York has six operating wind farms, five under construction and at least 30 more planned.