Vt. wind facility seeks permit for bat deaths (endangered bats too)

July 31, 2012



SHEFFIELD, Vt.—The company that owns and operates a Vermont wind power project in Sheffield is asking the state for permission in advance in case once-common bats now on the state's endangered species list are killed by spinning turbine blades.

Boston-based FirstWind has asked the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources for the first-ever "Endangered and Threatened Species Taking Permit," said company Vice President Dave Cowan.

In the last year at least 20 bats have been killed at the Sheffield wind farm, although none were the little brown bats, which were placed on the state's endangered species list last year after its numbers have been decimated by white nose syndrome.

He said the company decided last year to apply for the permit that would allow the taking of four individual little brown bats after hearing the species was going to be added to the state's endangered list.

<snip>

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2012/07/31/vt_wind_facility_seeks_permit_for_bat_deaths/