The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released for public review and comment a draft plan developed by Paulding Wind Farms to help ensure its Timber Road facilities in Paulding County, Ohio, do not contribute to the decline of two imperiled bat species already affected by threats such as disease and loss of habitat. The Service is requesting comments through March 30, 2020, on the draft plan and draft environmental assessment.
The draft Timber Road Wind Farm Habitat Conservation Plan accompanies an application by Paulding Wind Farms LLC, for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act that would authorize limited, unintentional take of the endangered Indiana bat and threatened northern long-eared bat during operation of the company’s three Timber Road wind energy facilities. The plan outlines measures the company would take for long-term conservation of both bat species if the permit is approved.
Under the Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to take (kill, harm, harass) federally endangered or threatened species – even unintentionally – without a permit. Habitat conservation plans are agreements between the Service and a landowner, private company or non-federal agency under the Endangered Species Act allowing them to undertake otherwise lawful activities on their property that may result in the incidental take of a federally endangered or threatened species. Permit applicants must minimize and mitigate the impact of the incidental take caused by their actions; the habitat conservation plan specifies how these activities will be carried out.
If the HCP is approved and a permit is issued, the Timber Road Wind Farm Habitat Conservation Plan would address incidental take that results from operating the company’s 134 turbines on three wind farms in Paulding County in northwestern Ohio for 30 years. The permit would authorize incidental take of 276 Indiana bats and 64 northern long-eared bats over the life of the permit. Two of the wind farms are currently operating; the third is expected to begin operating in 2020.
As required by the Endangered Species Act, the Timber Road Wind Farm Habitat Conservation Plan includes measures the facilities will carry out to avoid and minimize incidental take of the two bat species, and mitigate for losses. Some of those measures include modifying operation of the turbines at night during spring and fall migration seasons and protecting existing bat habitat.
Electronic copies of the documents are available on the regulations.gov website.
Paper copies will be available at the following libraries: Brumback Library, 215 W. Main St., Van Wert, OH 45891; and Paulding County Carnegie Library, 205 S. Main St., Paulding, OH 45879.
The Service invites your comments. In your comment, please specify whether your comment addresses the draft HCP, DEA, or any combination of these or other supporting documents. You may submit written comments by one of the following methods:
- Online: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and submit comments on Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2020–0005.
- By hard copy: Submit comments by U.S. mail or hand delivery to Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2020–0005; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: JAO/lN; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803.
For more information about incidental take and habitat conservation plans, please visit the Service’s Great Lakes Region endangered species website.
