[update 6/12] A Watertown Daily Times article indicates that Iberdrola acceded to the request to postpone development, which came from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Indiana Bat is federally-protected endangered species. More on the white nose syndrome may be found here.
WNYTV reports that the proposed Horse Creek wind farm, a project of Iberdrola Renewables in Jefferson County, has been put on hold until the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has an opportunity to evaluate why Indiana bats are massively dying. The bats are suffering from “white nose syndrome” — so named because a white fungus is apparent on some, but not all of the ailing (hibernating) bats. It is truly a devastating problem for the bat population within and without New York.
According to the press report, while the Town of Clayton Planning Board acknowledges that the bat problem is unrelated to the wind project, it nevertheless has suspended its review of the project until the DEC can determine what is causing the bat die-off.
Website article here and video clip here.
