Thursday, April 28, 2011

Agri.Commissioner Darrel Aubertine may contribute to huge Agri. Industry financial losses.

The agricultural industry is poised for huge financial losses and
NY State Agricultural Commissioner Darrel Aubertine may contribute to these losses.

According to a study that you can read here in the journal Science, Insect-eating bats provide pest-control services that save the U.S. agriculture industry over $3 billion per year the study warns that these valuable animals are at risk: Bat populations are declining due to fatalities associated with White-Nose Syndrome and wind turbines, which could lead to significant economic losses on U.S. farms.
White nose syndrome is a deadly mysterious disease that has killed more than a million hibernating bats across the Northeastern U.S. since 2006.

A large number of bats are dying at wind turbines in the United States. The number of bat deaths is higher than any fatality rates seen in this species in the past. There's something strange happening with bats and wind turbines. It is not known why bats are so susceptible and why they're showing up in these surprising numbers.

Within 3/4 of a mile from the shores of Cape Vincent there already is an operational 86 turbine wind power plant on Wolfe Island, Canada. The Wolfe Island post construction bat mortality report determined that an estimated 1720 bats are killed per year. Cape Vincent can expect the same numbers because of similar habitat and shared species with Wolfe Island.
Aubertine’s land is slated for transmission lines to facilitate St. Lawrence winds 53 turbine project.

Acciona’s St. Lawrence Wind Power project has the potential to significantly impact the future survival of the Indiana bat and all bat species existing in Cape Vincent , their wind development will cause fragmentation of habitat and destroy foraging ground ,this will have a devastating effect on Cape Vincent’s dwindling bat population.
How long it will take to see these population declines having a noticeable effect? Perhaps in the next few years in the northeast where White-nose syndrome has already had a substantial influence on bat population

When Darrel Aubertine was appointed as Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner he said, "New York's diverse agricultural industry and vast marketplace requires responsible oversight and advocacy – roles I am proud to take on. I look forward to working with our agricultural partners to help our farmers and industry flourishes."

Aubertines involvement with Acciona's St.Lawrence wind is not responsible oversight, and it will not help farmers and New Yorks agricultural industry flourish.

Aubertine has weighed in the topic of wind farms in Cape Vincent, when asked about it in the fall of 2009; Aubertine said “Who are you to tell me what I can do with my land"?
Agricultural Commissioner Aubertine is supporting the slaughter of Bats for personal gain.
 Below is a partial map of the area that is proposed for utility scale wind turbines and the necessary transmission lines to facilitate the project. Notice the project is in the heart of the Indiana Bat areas. Notice too that land owned by Agricultural Commissioner Darrel Aubertine is slated for transmission lines in or perilously close to the Indiana Bat habitat areas...

slated for development~


Link here to read the
Wolfe Island Wind Post-Construction Avian & Bat Mortality MonitoringReport 2011-01-24


Wolfe Island Bird and Bat Wind turbine Mortality report January to June 2011


Anonymous said...

if you'll read the cited report a bit closer, you will find that the quoted number of 1720 bat kills per turbine per year is entirely incorrect. The numbers, cited in the document, estimate 20 kills per turbine per year; this would result in a total mortality estimate of 1720 bats per year for the entire complex of turbines. Please correct your quote accordingly

K. muschell said...

Thank you for pointing out the typo, I have amend it.

There are many factors involved in collecting the bat kill data. Things such as scavengers removing the carcasses, tall grass may make it difficult to spot the carcasses etc. The information in these reports is only an estimate. It has been speculated that the bat fatality rate for Wolfe Island could be much higher maybe as high as 10,000 bat deaths per year.
The Point is that the bat population is declining at a rapid rate large numbers of bats are being killed by wind turbines.
The number of bat deaths is higher than any fatality rates seen in this species in the past. The turbine bat kills seem to have been accepted, virtually ignored by most people. What is the threshold that is considered unacceptable? How many bats need to die for people to take notice and decide that it is unacceptable? 1720 bat deaths at one 86-turbine project per year apparently was not enough to garner much attention but 1720 per turbine per year has made a few people sit up and pay attention. Whatever the number is, it is unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

an oil company was taken to federal court by the obama administration for killing one indangered bird, will the same be true for the wind turbines?? i doubt it. and dont look for any large money making envirnmental groups to defend the bats either.