Amherst Island Biodiversity Threatened

Transcription

1 Amherst Island Biodiversity Threatened Algonquin Power plans to build 31 to 37 (500 foot tall) Industrial Wind Turbines on Amherst Island. If these are erected, the adverse consequences to Amherst Island s unique environment will be significant, perhaps irreversible. The project must be stopped! Amherst Island: 32 Species at Risk Located on the Atlantic Migratory Flyway Important Bird Area (IBA) of Global Significance Internationally recognized for concentrations of wintering hawks and owls / Owl Woods Ranked 2 nd in biodiversity significance (Lake Ontario Islands - Northeast) For Additional Information go to: ProtectAmherst.yolasite.com 1

2 Why Algonquin Power cannot be allowed to build 31 to 37 industrial wind turbines on Amherst Island: Amherst Island is an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Global and Continental Significance The Amherst Island IBA, which encompasses the entire island, is recognized as being a site of Global and Continental Significance for Congregatory Species. Sizeable spring congregations of Brant and Dunlin have been recorded. Between 1994 and 1997 the average number of Brant staging at this site during the spring migration was 3,550, representing just over 1% of the North American population. 1 A diversity of habitats has resulted in Amherst Island becoming a renowned site for a wide variety of other birds including shorebirds, raptors, and land-birds such as large concentrations of migrating swallows. Amherst Island is located on the Atlantic Migratory Flyway Amherst Island, located on the Atlantic migratory flyway in Lake Ontario, is seasonally impaired by fog and other weather events. Migratory birds and those that inhabit the island often experience low visibility conditions, this may increase the potential number of turbine blade/bird collisions. Amherst Island is internationally recognized for concentrations of wintering hawks and owls / Owl Woods Amherst Island has gained international recognition for its concentrations of wintering hawks and owls. Up to 10 species of owls have been recorded during a single winter. Short-Eared, Long-Eared and Great Horned owls are among the resident bird population. Visitors from the Far and Near North -- Snowy owls, Saw-whet owls, and the rare Boreal owl as well as Eastern Screech and Barred owls add to the owl population during late fall and winter. Both Red-tailed and Rough-legged hawks are usually present and there are annual sightings of Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Turkey Vultures. 1 IBA Canada Web Site: 2

3 Amherst Island is ranked 2 nd in biodiversity significance Lake Ontario s Northeast Coast is comprised of 911 islands. Islands of Life: A Biodiversity and Conservation Atlas of the Great Lakes Islands ranks Amherst Island 2 nd in biodiversity significance in this area; second only in significance to it s much larger neighbour, Wolfe Island. The Great Lakes contain the largest collection of freshwater islands in the world. These islands contain significant biodiversity including endemic species, rare habitats, and critical biological functions. They are important breeding and staging areas for colonial nesting waterbirds, harbor noteworthy assemblages of plants and animals and provide important stopover sites for migrating birds. They make a significant contribution to the physical and biological diversity of the Great Lakes and surrounding basin. [1] 2 In 2009 Islands of Life scored Wolfe Island with a total of 302 for Biodiversity and Amherst Island garnered a very respectable 272. However, the development of the 86 turbine Wolfe Island wind factory has resulted in the destruction of a good portion of the biological diversity previously found on that Island. It is possible that Amherst Island now supersedes Wolfe Island in biodiversity significance. Amherst Island is recognized as significant for waterfowl The Significant Wildlife Habitat Technical Guide published by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in October of 2000, specifically cites Amherst Island as being significant for waterfowl. The same document establishes that areas beyond wetland (marshes, bogs, etc.) such as meadows and grasslands are also important. [2] 3 1. Islands of Life: A Biodiversity and Conservation Atlas of the Great Lakes Islands: 2010, Ministry of Natural Resources: page Significant Wildlife Habitat: Technical Guide, October, 2000, Ministry of Natural Resources (p308). 3

4 Amherst Island - Non Avian Species-at-Risk There are 9 non-avian species-at-risk that have been documented to breed and use the habitat found on Amherst Island. According to information provided in the Natural Heritage & Waterbody Assessments storyboard posted on the Algonquin Power web site, fieldwork has begun in order to evaluate the impact of industrial wind turbines, and their ancillary structures, on the following species- at-risk: Bobolink, Whip-poor-Will, Least Bittern and Short Eared Owl. Why has Algonquin Power not identified any non-avian speciesat-risk as requiring fieldwork in order to evaluate the impact of industrial wind turbines on these species? Amherst Island is home to the following non - avian species-at- risk: Breeding on Amherst Island COSEWIC Fish and Wildlife Conservation SARO (Prov) SARA (Fed) Algonquin Power BAT Little Brown Bat Yes END No fieldwork Northern Bat Yes END No fieldwork TURTLE Blandings Turtle Yes THR END No fieldwork Northern Map Turtle Yes SC Yes SC SC No fieldwork Snapping Turtle Yes SC SC SC No fieldwork SNAKE Eastern Ribbonsnake Yes SC SC No fieldwork Milksnake Yes SC Yes SC No fieldwork Queensnake Yes END Yes THR No fieldwork INVERTEBRATES Monarch Butterfly Yes SC SC No fieldwork END / Endangered: A species facing imminent extinction or extirpation in Ontario which is a candidate for regulation under Ontario's Endangered Species Act. THR / Threatened: A species that is at risk of becoming endangered in Ontario if limiting factors are not reversed. SC / Special Concern: A species with characteristics that make it sensitive to human activities or natural events. Algonquin Power: Fieldwork undertaken to evaluate the impact of wind turbines on these species per the Algonquin Power "Natural Heritage and Waterbody Assessments" story board posted on the Algonquin Power web-site. COSEWIC: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada SARA: Species at Risk Act (Federal) SARO: Species at Risk Ontario 4

5 Amherst Island Avian Species-at-Risk There are 24 avian species-at-risk documented to either breed on Amherst Island, or use the habitat found on the island. The Field Checklist provided by Kingston Field Naturalists lists 377 species of birds that have been identified within a 50-kilometer radius of MacDonald Park in Kingston Ontario. A good number of these species are regularly sighted on Amherst Island. According to information provided in the Natural Heritage and Waterbody Assessments storyboard posted on the Algonquin Power web site, Algonquin Power has undertaken fieldwork to evaluate the impact of industrial wind turbines for only 4 of the 24 species-at-risk found on Amherst Island. What is Algonquin Power's rationale for discounting the remaining 20 avian species-atrisk? Amherst Island is home to the following avian species-at- risk: 5

6 Industrial Wind Turbines Contribute To Population Decline and Mortality A growing body of evidence indicates that Industrial wind turbines negatively impact local and migrant wildlife. The research and literature available on birds and bats is extensive. The three most commonly cited causes of population decline and mortality include: Collision / Wake Industrial wind turbines generate a substantial wake which compromises avian ability to fly and hunt. To the right is a picture of industrial wind turbine wake; pity the poor owl hunting for voles, the monarch butterfly migrating or the bat chasing insects Collision with a moving turbine blade or associated infrastructure, resulting in immediate death or prolonged fatal injury, is a common cause of population decline. IWT lighting systems may add to the toll by attracting and/or confusing exhausted migrants at night. Nocturnal migrants appear to be attracted to steady burning lights, especially in poor weather. (1) 4 Each of the turbines proposed for Amherst Island measures over 500 feet tall and the speed at the tip of the blade can reach up to 275 kilometers per hour. The turbines have a swept area (the area covered by the blades as they spin) of 10,000 square metres, almost 2.5 acres for each turbine. This equates to an Amherst Island kill zone covering between 80 to 90 acres. Migratory and resident birds, bats and butterflies will be subject to a lethal gauntlet of rotating turbine blades as they forage for food. The Amherst Island silo in the picture to the left (one of the tallest structures on the island) stands approximately 100 feet tall; clearly the churning blades of the massive turbines will dominate the landscape. 1. Gehring, Joelle, Paul Kerlinger, and Albert M. Manville Communication towers, lights, and birds: successful methods of reducing the frequency of avian collisions. Ecological Applications 19:

7 Habitat Degradation / Loss Population decline is the inevitable outcome of the habitat degradation and loss that results from the significant disruption caused by the spinning turbine blades and ensuing flicker. Turbine construction and maintenance requires roads and ancillary structures including power lines, substation, operation and maintenance buildings, etc. These, along with the low-frequency noise / vibration, also contribute significantly to the overall loss of habitat. The initial construction activity and / or routine maintenance operations may cause local wildlife to abandon the site permanently. Overall, it has been estimated that 3-5% of the area of commercial wind turbine development is 5 habitat loss due to construction, while 95-97% of the impact area is from fragmenting habitats, species avoidance behavior. [1] Looking at the picture below it is clear that if Algonquin Power is allowed to erect 31 to 37 IWT, this industrialization will negatively affect the biodiversity of the entire island. Barrier Effect Obstacles to seasonal and daily movements to and from potential resting, feeding, breeding, roosting and molting areas also contribute to population decline. Large wind energy facilities may interfere with the ability of birds and other wildlife to travel between feeding, wintering, and nesting sites. [2] Amherst Island is a small island that supports the foraging needs of a large owl population. Owls rely upon a foraging range well beyond their nesting area. Owl Woods, a birding Mecca of international renown, is threatened by an array of 4 turbines which march the width of the island, establishing an impossibly narrow gauntlet through which the birds must fly in order to access the foraging fields scattered throughout the island. 1 McDonald, R. I., J. Fargione, J. Kiesecker, W. M. Miller, and J. Powell Energy Sprawl or Energy Efficiency: Climate Policy Impacts on Natural Habitat for the United States of America. PLoS ONE 4(8):e6802. doi: /journal.pone Available at: _sprawl-3-1.pdf 2 Birds and Bird Habitat: What Are the Risks From Industrial Wind Turbine Exposure? Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society , first published on August 22,

8 Uncalculated Cumulative Effects The situation on Amherst does not exist in isolation and cannot be considered in isolation. The map below indicates proposed and existing turbine installations in the area immediately surrounding Amherst Island. The red circles indicate the proposed and existing turbine installations with the proposed number of turbines indicated in within the circle. Due to the high level of secrecy maintained by the various corporations, these numbers are estimates. The cross-hatching indicates five Ontario Important Bird Areas, there are more in the United States. Amherst Island is located in the center of the map, towards the top with 33 turbines listed. (This is the number of turbines required if Algonquin Power follows through on their plan to install 2.3 Mw turbines for a 75Mw development.) The cumulative effect of the turbines proposed by various corporations for the eastern end of Lake Ontario, must be considered. The approximate 450 proposed and installed land-based turbines would be sited along approximately 50 km of ecologically fragile shore-line between Point Petrie in Prince Edward County and Wolfe Island. There are an additional 530 IWT proposed for installation in the water. The 86 turbines on Wolfe Island are responsible for the highest bird / turbine kill ratio in Canada, and are second only to Altamont Pass in the US for highest bird / turbine kill ratio in North America. The cumulative effect of an additional 850 turbines in such a biologically significant area can only serve to echo and magnify the Wolfe Island disaster. Looking at the map below - where will the birds fly? 8

9 Recent Research US Fish and Wildlife Wind Turbine Guidelines The recently released U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines provide a tiered approach to on-land Industrial Wind Turbines. A very telling letter from the Fish and Wildlife Service dated November 4, 2011 can be obtained at protectamherst.yolasite.com. The letter is directed to a wind development company that hopes to build a 14-turbine installation on the Garden Peninsula in Michigan. The Field Supervisor states categorically that no onshore turbines should be installed within 3 miles (5 km) of a shoreline. Wind Energy Great Lakes Regional Guidelines Much of the latest published research is available in Wind Energy Great Lakes Regional Guidelines, a 2011 report by the Nature Conservancy with over 18 pages of recent references. [1 6 ] From the Executive Summary: Here we provide recommendations for wind energy siting and operation for birds, bats, and communities based primarily on peer-reviewed literature and published reports. A discussion of the literature used to derive these recommendations is presented in subsequent sections of this report. Readers are strongly encouraged to review the scientific rationale used to develop these guidelines. Of Particular Interest: Page 2: Avoid wind energy development within 5 miles (8km) of Great Lakes shorelines, including islands, and including agricultural fields traditionally used by large numbers of waterfowl. Section IV C.3-4; Cooper et al. 2004; Bonter et al Page 4: The recommendations summarized here represent the first in-depth, evidence-based synthesis of recent scientific information for birds, bats, Great Lakes waters, Great Lakes shorelines, forest, grasslands, inland wetlands, riparian areas, and agricultural lands related to wind energy development in the Great Lakes region. They provide specific guidance for siting and operating wind turbines to minimize impacts on these taxa and ecological systems. Recommendations for siting wind turbines should be applicable to all of the following states and province: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and much of Ontario. 1. Wind Energy Great Lakes Regional Guidelines: 2011, Nature Conservancy. 9

10 Association to Protect Amherst Island (APAI) Position 1. APAI supports the aim of ensuring that our energy future includes the production and distribution of safe, affordable, reliable; environmentally sound energy resources. 2. Based upon the most recent scientific evidence, APAI is calling for an immediate stop to the development of all on-shore IWT installations within 8 km of a Great Lakes shoreline and within areas such as Important Bird Areas, major migratory corridors, wilderness areas, national parks, wildlife refuges, and other sensitive habitat such as wetlands and riparian corridors. 3. APAI supports the over 75 municipalities that have put forward resolutions against the development of Industrial Wind Turbine installations. We also support the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Ontario PC Caucus, and many other groups in calling for a moratorium until the province conducts a comprehensive, health based, analysis of the 40 decibel / 550 metre setbacks. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Distribute this information widely; provide it to any media contacts you may have. Write to Algonquin Power Corporation and the ministries involved in the decision making process. Their contact Information (including phone and fax numbers) is available at protectamherst.yolasite.com. Please cc us on all correspondence, as these letters will help support our fight should Amherst Island be listed on the Environmental Registry. APAI contact information is also available at protectamherst.yolasite.com, or you can e- mail ProtectAI@Kos.net. If you do not have access to the Internet, for information and updates, please write to: APAI Post Office Box 4, 5695 Front Road Stella, Ontario, K0H 2S0 Log onto our website protectamherst.yolasite.com; we update regularly. Follow us on Twitter at for daily postings of news articles from around the world pertaining to all things alternative energy. Become an APAI member for $20 per year. 10