Owner/Client
Penn Wind LLC
Location
Pennsylvania
CEC Services
- Endangered Species Consultation
- Agency Coordination
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Owner Objective
Penn Wind, LLC (Penn Wind) specializes in the erection, maintenance, and technical advising of utility size units for renewable energy developers, wind turbine manufacturers, and wind farm owners. CEC was contracted by Penn Wind to provide professional ecological services, agency consultation support, and project coordination for the proposed Buck Mountain Wind Farm located in Schuylkill, Columbia, and Luzerne Counties, Pennsylvania.
CEC Approach
CEC prepared an Action Plan to address Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) issues associated with the development of a wind farm in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Action Plan was prepared prior to meetings with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USF&WS) and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) to discuss potential impacts to the federally endangered Indiana bat. The Action Plan included several project alternatives and mitigation/conservation measures. CEC coordinated and facilitated USF&WS and PGC discussions and provided strategic planning throughout the process.
In addition, CEC used GIS to prepare project maps that identified potential and confirmed endangered bat habitats, the location of mine portals, and mist net trapping sites within the project area. The mapping also identified potential endangered bat habitat mitigation and potential preservation areas. CEC’s GIS and mapping services were provided to support the bat action plan.
