Illinois, Indiana, & Missouri Wind Energy & Wildlife Workshop

Workshop Recordings:

• Day 1 (Tuesday, October 4) – Watch the recording
• Day 2 (Wednesday, October 5) – Watch the recording
• Day 3 (Thursday, October 6) – Watch the recording

Goals & Outcomes:

• Understand current wind development and future projections in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, including opportunities and challenges
• Learn about:
  • State of the science on wind and wildlife, with a focus on bats and raptors (eagles)
  • Overview of federal, state, and local laws, guidance, and regulations
  • Permitting siting strategies, risk, and project economics
• Explore opportunities for problem-solving and improving collaboration

Schedule-at-a-Glance:

Day 1, October 4

I. Welcome 

II. Wind Energy in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri

III. Wind Project Development Process & Site Selection

Keynote: Sara Parker Pauley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation

IV. Overview of Federal, State, and Local Regulations and Environmental Considerations

Day 2, October 5

V. State of the Science: Bats and Eagles with an eye to the Midwest

Bats

A. State of Science: Bats and Wind

B. Research and Minimization Strategies

C. Panel Discussion: Research needs and questions

Eagles

A. Bald Eagles

B. Golden Eagles

C. Avoidance and minimization measures

D. Panel Discussion: Monitoring

Day 3, October 6

VI. Bats: Streamline Permitting: Opportunities and Challenges

VII. Bats: Monitoring, Reporting, Adaptive Management, and Mitigation

VIII. Looking to the Future – Breakout Sessions

IX. Looking to the Future – Report Out

Advance Resources:

Federal/Regional:

• Guide to Wind Energy & Wildlife
• Eagle Rule Overview: Federal Register Notice and Draft Environ
  • Press Release
  • Arc-GIS On-line of proposed eligibility (Add the USGS wind turbine layer to find wind projects)
• Tricolored Bat Proposal to list
• MBTA regulation updates
• U.S. Wind Siting Regulation and Zoning Ordinances
• Wind Ordinances
• Site Renewables Right
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines (See glossary of terms on page 59)
• Wind 101: An Introduction to Wind Energy Siting and Development
• In-lieu fee programs for eagle mitigation
  • In-lieu fee programs for eagle mitigation
  • Eagle Protection and Offset Program (EPOP)
• Bat Webinars:
  • Bat Impact Minimization Part 1: Curtailment
  • Bat Impact Minimization Part 2: Deterrence
  • Bat Behavior and Interactions with Wind Turbines

Illinois:

• EcoCAT – the Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool
• Incidental Take Authorizations
• Consultation Procedures for Assessing Impacts of Agency Actions on Endangered and Threatened Species and Natural Areas
• Incidental Taking of Endangered or Threatened Species
• Illinois Combined Statutes: Future Energy Jobs Act
• Illinois Combined Statutes: Climate and Equitable Jobs Act
• Illinois Combined Statutes: Renewable Portfolio Standard and Clean Oil Standard

Indiana:

• Permits & Commercial Licenses
• Information Needed for an Early Coordination/Environmental Review
• Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center (INHDC)

Missouri:

• Guidelines for Conservation Siting of Energy Infrastructure in Missouri
• Voluntary Compensatory Mitigation Options for the Indiana Bat and Northern Long‐eared Bat in Missouri
• Missouri Natural Heritage Review
• Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Reports / Plans

Workshop is hosted by:

The Illinois, Indiana, & Missouri Wildlife & Wind Energy Virtual Workshop is possible thanks to generous support from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and to the input and guidance from the workshop Planning Committee:

• Matt Buffington, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
• Kathryn Bulliner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Jennifer Campbell, Missouri Department of Conservation
• Jeff Danielson, Clean Grid Alliance
• Joelle Ghering, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Jennifer Frazier, Missouri Department of Conservation
• Janet Haselrig, Missouri Department of Conservation
• Rebecca Heffren, Liberty Utilities
• Cris Hein, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Karen Herrington, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Andrew Horton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Goni Iskali, Apex Clean Energy
• Rachel London, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Geoff Marke, Missouri Office of the Public Counsel
• Sean Marsan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Clint Miller, The Conservation Fund
• Nick Morgan, The Conservation Fund
• Holly Neil, The Nature Conservancy
• Erin O’Shea, EDP Renewables
• Heather Osborn, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Beth Soholt, Clean Grid Alliance
• Christine Sutter, NextEra Energy
• France Whalen, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Allen Wynn, Pattern Energy Group

If you have any questions please email cmarshall@rewi.org.