Dunlap Wind Energy Project

Project Description

PacifiCorp, doing business as Pacific Power/Rocky Mountain Power (Applicant), is the developer and operator of the Dunlap Wind Energy Project (Project). The Project has been in operation since September 24, 2010 and has an expected life through 2049. The Project is located adjacent to the Freezeout Mountains to the northwest and Shirley Basin to the northeast in Carbon County, Wyoming and currently consists of the following:

• 111 - megawatts (MW) of wind-generated power,
• 74 General Electric 1.5-MW turbines with rotor diameter of 252 feet,
• 11-mile 230-kilovolt (kV) overhead power line, connecting with the PacifiCorp’s Miners to Difficulty transmission line,
• access roads and collection system (underground and overhead), and
• approximately 10,347 acres are in Project Area and PacifiCorp owns most of the acreage with the exception of 640 acres owned by another entity, and 640 that are State of Wyoming lands that are leased by PacifiCorp for 35-years.

Potential Eagle Impacts

Post-construction monitoring conducted at the Project since 2011 has documented bald and golden eagle mortalities. Take, including killing of eagles, is prohibited by the 2016 Bald and Golden Eagle protection Act. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has been delegated the authority to issue eagle take permits, where the take is determined to be compatible with the preservation of eagles. The Service will issue permits for such take only after an applicant has committed to undertake all practical measures to avoid and minimize such take and mitigate anticipated take to the maximum extent achievable.

We have received an application from PacifiCorp for an incidental eagle take permit for the Dunlap Wind Energy Project. The applicant has developed and provided an Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP) that summarizes project design, construction and operational measures taken to avoid and minimize impacts to eagles, and results of pre- and post-construction monitoring efforts. The ECP is included in the permit application.

Project Review

The Service has an independent statutory responsibility under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate its own actions related to the Project, namely the possible issuance of an incidental eagle take permit. A draft Environmental Assessment evaluating the impact of issuing (and not issuing) an incidental eagle take permit for the existing Project was made available for a 30-day comment period. After public comments were evaluated, it was determined that they were not substantive, our analyses were adequate, and the Service has prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact in accordance with NEPA regulations (40 C.F.R § 1508.13). The incidental eagle take permit will be issued under the 2016 Eagle Act regulations and will authorize non-purposeful take of bald eagle and golden eagles.

News and Updates

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released the final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and findings document for the issuance of an incidental eagle take permit related to the operation of the Dunlap Wind Energy Project located southeast of the Freezeout Mountains and southwest of the Shirley Basin in Carbon County, Wyoming. The 30-year permit authorizes the potential take of bald and golden eagles associated with the operation of the existing 74-turbine wind energy Project, and outlines required conservation and compensatory mitigation measures for minimizing and offsetting potential eagle take. PacifiCorp, doing business as Pacific Power/Rocky Mountain Power (Applicant), is the developer and operator of the existing and operational Project. 

Press release: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Eagle Take Permit for Dunlap Wind Energy Project

Request Documents

If you would like a copy of the documents associated with this project, contact Tomas Kamienski or Rob Doster. 

Documents available upon request: 

• Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
• Final Environmental Assessment
• Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP)