US bird groups in legal challenge to Great Lakes offshore wind – Recharge

Bird conservationists filed a lawsuit in a federal court challenging the Icebreaker offshore wind farm in Lake Erie, Ohio.

Two groups claimed the Icebreaker demonstration project which is set to deploy six turbines to create Americas first freshwater offshore wind farm threatens multiple species of birds in the area.

The action is against the US Department of Energy and US Army Corps of Engineers for alleged failure to properly consider bird impacts in environmental assessments of the project.

LEEDCo, a non-profit, public-private partnership based there, is co-developing Icebreaker Wind with Norwegian equity investor Fred Olsen Renewables.

Mike Parr of the American Bird Conservancy claimed: American tax dollars are paying for more than a third of the project cost but a Norwegian corporation is in partnership with the nonprofit project implementer, LEEDCo.

Why are US taxpayer dollars supporting this in the first place? Migratory birds are a common good of the American people.

The campaigners claims Icebreaker could be precedent-setting for large-scale offshore wind development in the Great Lakes.

Icebreaker plans to use MHI Vestas 3.45MW turbines, specially adapted offshore versions of Vestas V126-3.45 onshore machines. It is targeting start of construction in 2021 and operation in 2022.

LEEDCo has been contacted by Recharge for comment.

Legal action over potential bird impacts has faced a number of major offshore wind projects around the world in the industrys short history.

Lengthy legal action by the RSPB in Scotland caused several years of delays to projects there, and bird conservationists in Germany have also turned up the legal heat on offshore wind developers.

Orsteds 2.4GW Hornsea 3 off eastern England in September saw a consent decision delayed for six months after bird charities raised last minute fears over its impact.

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US bird groups in legal challenge to Great Lakes offshore wind - Recharge