The developer of a $400 million wind farm in Montana has agreed to relocate about 20 percent of the turbines to make way for nesting raptors. NaturEner, the developer of the 126-turbine farm, has yielded to a request from Montana Audubon to move 25 turbines located in a key raptor area to another spot a half mile away.
The turbines in question are currently located in the Kevin Rim, an area known to have up to 60 raptor nests and nearly a dozen different raptor species. Montana Audubon contacted the developer with concerns about the safety of the birds, and the developer acquiesced.
The two groups also signed a pledge stating that they will continue to work together to mitigate the effects of the wind farm on wildlife.
“Rim Rock and Montana Audubon agree to maintain open communications related to the project and wildlife impacts,” the memo states. “In addition, in order to maintain good faith between the parties, Rim Rock and Montana Audubon also agree to make reasonable efforts to confer with each other before issuing any public statements about the other party in the interest of ensuring accuracy of information.”
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