Public comment sought for Alliant Wind Interstate Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on a draft habitat conservation plan and environmental assessment for the Alliant Wind Interstate Wind Project in eight wind facilities in Iowa and one facility in Minnesota.

The draft plan accompanies an Endangered Species Act permit application by Alliant Energy’s Interstate Power and Light Company and Wisconsin Power and Light Company for limited, unintentional take of two endangered species, the Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat, and two species under federal review, the tricolored bat and the little brown bat. Unintentional take includes harming, harassing and killing.

The draft habitat conservation plan outlines actions the company would take for conserving bat species if the agency approves the requested permit. These actions include contributing to efforts to protect bat habitat and changes to wind turbine operation to reduce risk of collisions with bats.

Habitat conservation plans are agreements between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a landowner, private company or non-federal agency that allows that individual or organization to undertake otherwise lawful activities on their property that may result in the incidental take of a federally endangered or threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers whether proposed habitat conservation plans would ensure the effects of authorized incidental take are adequately minimized and mitigated.

If approved, the Alliant Wind Project Habitat Conservation Plan would address incidental take for 30 years that results from operating the company’s 765 wind turbines located in the Iowa counties of Clay, Dickinson, Franklin, Kossuth, Poweshiek, Sac and Winnebago, and in Freeborn County in Minnesota. The permit would authorize incidental take of up to 123 Indiana bats, 246 northern long-eared bats, 2,520 tricolored bats and 3,536 little brown bats total over the life of the permit.

Review draft documents and submit public comments by searching regulations.gov for Docket Number FWS–R3–ES–2024–0070. Please specify whether your comment addresses the draft habitat conservation plan, draft environmental assessment or any combination of these or other supporting documents. The public comment period will be open for 30 days through Aug. 15.

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