Notice of Violations in Connection with the Camp Perry Air National Guard Wind Energy Project in Ottawa County, Ohio

The American Bird Conservancy and the Black Swamp Bird Observatory provided notice of violations of the Endangered Species Act in connection with a wind turbine project sponsored by the Ohio Air National Guard at Camp Perry in Ottawa County, Ohio. The organizations said that construction and operation of the wind turbine would also violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and NEPA. The organizations said that the proposed site for the turbine was in a major bird migration corridor and in “extremely close proximity” to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refute and was “one of the worst possible locations to construct and operate a wind power project.” The organizations contended that the NEPA review conducted for the project should have considered other means of reducing Camp Perry’s greenhouse gas emissions, and that the Air National Guard’s conduction of the base of the turbine prior to issuing an environmental assessment violated NEPA. The groups said they would consider litigation should the Air National Guard proceed with the project.