In 2007, the California Energy Commission and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) developed guidelines to reduce impacts to birds and bats from the development or repowering of wind energy projects. These voluntary guidelines can be used as a resource for state and local agencies and other parties involved in wind energy project planning and review.
The 2007 California Guidelines for Reducing Impacts to Birds and Bats from Wind Energy Development include recommendations on preliminary screening of proposed wind energy project sites; pre‐permitting study design and methods; assessing direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts to birds and bats in accordance with state and federal laws; developing avoidance and minimization measures; establishing appropriate compensatory mitigation; and post‐construction operations monitoring, analysis, and reporting methods.
However, these guidelines have not been updated since 2007. Many advances have been made in the state of knowledge and best available science, especially regarding impacts to bats. For updated guidance, please contact the CDFW Regional Office of the Region in which the project is located.
Frequently Asked Questions
Data Availability from Post-Construction Fatality Monitoring
To access bird and bat fatality monitoring data from wind projects in California, contact the CDFW Regional Office or the County Planning Department in which the project is located. These data may also be available in the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) American Wind Wildlife Information Center (AWWIC) database.