Wind developer signs conservation deal

By Chris Green

Harris News Service

<!--P1-->TOPEKA -- A company building a wind farm in Cloud County agreed Wednesday to help fund a conservation project to protect grassland birds whose habitat could be affected the installation of wind turbines.<!--P2-->

Horizon Wind Energy, the nation's third-largest provider of wind power, announced a voluntary deal with the Ranchland Trust of Kansas and The Nature Conservancy of Kansas.

The firm will invest in a 20,000-acre off-site habitat restoration program in the area surrounding the Meridian Way Wind Farm. The project will include an anticipated 13,100 acres of permanent conservation easements, which will benefit the greater prairie-chicken and other grassland bird species.

The wind farm sits eight miles southeast of Concordia. The 201-megawatt project will provide power to Empire Electric District of Joplin, Mo., and Topeka-based Westar Energy.

Gabriel Alonso, Horizon's chief development officer, said the company wanted to develop wind energy in the most environmentally responsible way it could.

"We are happy to make this investment in the natural environment of the state of Kansas," Alonso said.

Mark Lawlor, the project manager for Horizon, said one issue the conservation project will help address is concerns about how the siting of turbines might reduce nesting sites for prairie chickens.

The birds have generally evolved to avoid nesting or rearing their young near tall, vertical structures, Lawlor said. That's because raptors who might have prayed on prairie chickens are often perched on trees.

Company officials also said they extensively studied the possible ecological effects of the wind farm while developing the project. Horizon Wind Energy hired a team of Kansas prairie scientists to investigate in 2003 and also invited The Nature Conservancy to provide an independent habitat impact assessment.

After research established the potential risks the wind farm could pose to the greater prairie-chicken, Horizon Wind committed to fund the voluntary conservation program as a cost of the project.

Lawlor said the effort would "probably set the bar really high" for other wind farm projects to keep environmental effects in mind while building.

"Obviously this is groundbreaking," Lawlor said.

Horizon's investment in the project will supplement additional investment being provided by wildlife conservation groups and state and federal agencies, company officials indicated.

Exact dollar figures detailing what the company's contribution will be to the project were not released. If needed, The Conservancy may advance loans to RTK, which will hold and manage the conservation easements.

Mike Beam, executive director of the Ranchland Trust of Kansas, said his group was excited about the project. He called it a "rare opportunity" to use private funds to protect privately owned grasslands, improve grazing resources and enhance the wildlife habitat on the lands.

Alan Pollom, The Conservancy's Kansas State Director, said he sees great promise in the project and that it sets a solid standard for ecologically responsible wind energy development.

"I would urge all wind developers and power purchasers to embrace the reality that concern for our environment extends well beyond the issue of air emissions," Pollom said.

09/24/2008