Western Md. wind farm lawsuit threatened

Groups say Garrett County turbines would harm rare bats

Some environmentalists and local residents have warned they will sue to block a western Maryland wind farm, saying the large commercial turbines will "almost certainly" kill rare bats.

Save Western Maryland, the Maryland Conservation Council and several residents issued the warning in a letter last week to Synergics Wind Energy LLlC and others involved with the Roth Rock wind energy project near Oakland in Garrett County. The opponents contend the turbines to be built will harm Indiana bats and Virginia big-eared bats, both of which are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. The July 20 letter calls on Synergics to halt or delay construction of its 30 turbines until it can obtain an "incidental take" permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for any bats that may be harmed.

Frank Maisano, a spokesman for the Annapolis-based wind energy company, dismissed the warning, saying that although Indiana bats have been seen in western Maryland in the past, state biologists haven't spotted any nearby in 15 years. He charged that the groups threatening to sue are basically anti-wind and are just using the bats as an excuse to halt the project. Construction has yet to begin, Maisano said, though some preliminary preparations have been made.

The same groups have issued a similar threat to sue Constellation Energy over another wind farm that is already under construction on the same mountain ridge. The Baltimore-based energy company has contacted federal wildlife officials to obtain the needed permit, but has not halted construction in the meantime.

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