Regional Collaboration to Understand and Minimize Waterbird Impacts from Offshore Wind Energy Development

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is leading a range of regional, science-based stakeholder engagement efforts under the umbrella of the Environmental Technical Working Group for Offshore Wind (E-TWG). The E-TWG, which was formed in 2018, is working to develop conservation guidance and fill data gaps around the potential risks and impacts of offshore wind energy development to wildlife. We are soliciting AMBC members’ expertise and engagement on several ongoing efforts to address impacts to waterbirds, including: (1) development of a scientific research framework to understand the long-term impacts of offshore wind development on birds and bats and identify priorities for funding and future research, (2) the May 2020 “State of the Science” workshop on cumulative impacts, which will bring together scientific experts in the field to assess the state of knowledge about offshore wind and wildlife science and develop a research agenda for understanding cumulative impacts to wildlife as the offshore wind industry progresses in the United States, and (3) the collaborative development of best management practices to reduce impacts to birds and bats from offshore wind projects. For more information and to sign up for e-mail list serv, visit www.nyetwg.com.

Contact: Kate Williams, Biodiversity Research Institute, kate.williams@briloon.org