2009 Wind Power Guidelines
Following a 30-day State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review, the 2009 Wind Power Guidelines were finalized April 1st, 2009.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) developed Wind Power Guidelines in 2003 with a commitment to re-evaluate the guidelines after five years and update the document as needed. In 2008, the WDFW Wind Power Guidelines 2009 were developed through a collaborative representative stakeholder group process comprised of environmental representatives, county planners, wind energy developers, State and Federal natural resource managers, biologists, and the public with consideration for fish and wildlife habitat protection, conservation and mitigation related to the development of wind energy facilities.
These guidelines are intended to provide permitting agencies and wind project developers with an overview of the considerations made by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in the review of wind energy project proposals.
The purpose of the WDFW Wind Power Guidelines is to provide consistent statewide guidance for the development of land-based wind energy projects that avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to fish and wildlife habitats in Washington State.
LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM INTERESTED PARTIES:
March 31, 2009
Re: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wind Power Guidelines
We are writing to express our strong support for the WDFW Wind Power Guidelines. The Guidelines appropriately balance the protection of wildlife and habitat and the expansion of wind energy development in Washington. The stakeholder process to develop the Guidelines was professionally facilitated and the document was driven by consensus between all of the stakeholders involved.
We look forward to working with Travis Nelson and other staff at WDFW regarding future wind project proposals in the state.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Leta Liou, Renewable Northwest Project
Bill Robinson, The Nature Conservancy Washington
Arlo Corwin, Horizon Wind Energy
Scott Williams, Anne Walsh and Jennifer Diaz, Puget Sound Energy
Andrew Linehan and Sara Parsons, Iberdrola Renewables North America
Herbert Curl, Seattle Audubon Society
Craig Lucke, PacifiCorp Energy
