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Guidelines Aim to Protect Animals While Promoting Wind Energy

Mark Seymour/ Creative Commons

While electric utilities look ahead to future renewable energy mandates, a coalition of wind energy companies and conservation groups has released new guidelines that should make wind development easier in New Mexico. 

The best management practices, drafted by groups like Audubon New Mexico and Interwest Energy Alliance, are designed to ensure the safety of animals like raptors, bats, and lesser prairie chickens while allowing for the growth of wind farms.

New Mexico is the second state after Colorado to develop such guidelines.   The best practices were agreed upon during a two-year process, and should ensure that wind developers who use them face little opposition from environmentalists when siting new turbines.