Department of the Interior announces wind energy guidelines

The voluntary guidelines are intended to help shape the siting, design and operation of the U.S. wind turbines economy.

Using a tiered approach, the guidelines were created to provide a structured, scientific process for developers, federal and state agencies, and tribes to identify sites with low risk to wildlife, and to help them assess, mitigate, and monitor any adverse effects of wind energy projects on wildlife and their habitats.

The voluntary guidelines, which are effective as of March 23, are designed to be used for all utility-scale, community-scale and distributed land-based wind energy projects on both private and public lands.

www.fws.gov/windenergy/docs/WEG_final.pdf