ELKINS, W.Va. -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is giving the public an extra month to comment on the environmental impact of a wind farm in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties.
ELKINS, W.Va. -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is giving the public an extra month to comment on the environmental impact of a wind farm in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties.
The comment period ended Monday but was reopened Friday and will now last through Sept. 23.
Maryland-based Beech Ridge Energy LLC is seeking an incidental take permit for its Beech Ridge Wind Energy Project. Such permits are required for projects that might harm endangered or threatened wildlife.
In this case, environmental groups are worried about the endangered Indiana bat and the Virginia big-eared bat.
Deb Carter, supervisor of the agency's Elkins field office, said public comment will help determine how detailed the Fish and Wildlife Service should be in crafting is environmental impact statement.
Beech Ridge agreed to seek the permit to end a lawsuit.
The Washington, D.C.-based Animal Welfare Institute and the Williamsburg-based Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy had sued both Beech Ridge Energy and its parent, Invenergy LLC.
Beech Ridge had built 40 turbines before a federal judge ruled that it had failed to obtain the necessary permit. A settlement allows the company to build 27 more turbines and operate them during times of the day and year when bats are not normally flying.
The company cannot operate any turbines between April 1 and Nov. 15, when the bats are migrating.
Beech Ridge also agreed in the settlement to create a habitat conservation plan.
ELKINS, W.Va. -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is giving the public an extra month to comment on the environmental impact of a wind farm in Greenbrier and Nicholas counties.
The comment period ended Monday but was reopened Friday and will now last through Sept. 23.
Maryland-based Beech Ridge Energy LLC is seeking an incidental take permit for its Beech Ridge Wind Energy Project. Such permits are required for projects that might harm endangered or threatened wildlife.
In this case, environmental groups are worried about the endangered Indiana bat and the Virginia big-eared bat.
Deb Carter, supervisor of the agency's Elkins field office, said public comment will help determine how detailed the Fish and Wildlife Service should be in crafting is environmental impact statement.
Beech Ridge agreed to seek the permit to end a lawsuit.
The Washington, D.C.-based Animal Welfare Institute and the Williamsburg-based Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy had sued both Beech Ridge Energy and its parent, Invenergy LLC.
Beech Ridge had built 40 turbines before a federal judge ruled that it had failed to obtain the necessary permit. A settlement allows the company to build 27 more turbines and operate them during times of the day and year when bats are not normally flying.
The company cannot operate any turbines between April 1 and Nov. 15, when the bats are migrating.
Beech Ridge also agreed in the settlement to create a habitat conservation plan.
