January 19, 2009
NRC LEADS WIND ENERGY - WILDLIFE IMPACT INITIATIVE
COTTAGE GROVE, WI. Natural Resources Consulting, Inc. (NRC), a Midwest-based company, was
awarded a grant to evaluate the potential impacts of wind energy development on migrating birds and bats
in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. NRC will lead stakeholders from the wind energy industry,
natural resource agencies, conservation groups, and research community in a series of workshops to
consider migratory patterns and standardized methods to evaluate the potential impacts of wind energy
facilities on migrating birds and bats.
The Upper Mississippi River Valley is recognized as a globally important bird migration corridor.
Increasing interest in locating wind energy facilities along the Mississippi River corridor has created a
need for objective and cost-effective methods to evaluate and mitigate potential impacts on migrating
birds and bats. The workshops will bring together a diverse stakeholder group to identify research needs
and objectives, build consensus on appropriate study design and methods, and expedite the process for the
mutual benefit of resource agencies and wind developers.
“We are excited about this opportunity to discuss and reach a consensus on how to best evaluate
migration behaviors in this part of Wisconsin” said Dave Siebert, Director of the WDNR Office of
Energy.
Louise Clemency, USFWS, added, “The Service commends NRC’s proactive approach in addressing
potential impacts to birds and bats from wind energy development within the Upper Mississippi River
Valley.”
Funding for this project is made possible by a grant from the Focus on Energy “Environmental and
Economic Research Program” (EERP), which supports the understanding of environmental and economic
impacts of energy use.
NRC is a privately-owned consulting firm headquartered in Cottage Grove, with offices throughout the
upper Midwest and Colorado. NRC offers quality, value, and customer-focused professional natural
resource services to public and private clients. NRC scientists specialize in wildlife ecology, botany,
wetland science, fishery and aquatic biology, herpetology, endangered resources, soils, forestry, habitat
restoration, GPS surveys, GIS analysis, environmental policy and permitting. Visit
www.nrcdifference.com for additional information.
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