Development of a multi-state whooping crane and lesser prairie-chicken habitat conservation plan for wind development

              FINAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
STATE: Oklahoma GRANT NUMBER: F09AP00234 (E-71-HP-1)
GRANT PROGRAM: ESA Section 6 Planning Grants
GRANT NAME: Development of a Multi-State Whooping Crane and Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Habitat Conservation Plan for Wind Development
GRANT PERIOD: August 11, 2009 – August 4, 2013
REPORTING PERIOD: August 11, 2009 – November 15, 2013
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: John M. Anderson, American Wind Energy Association
(AWEA) and Russ Horton, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
A. OBJECTIVE:
Develop a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), pertinent to wind power
development, for the whooping crane and lesser prairie-chicken through the central region of the
United States between the Gulf of Mexico and Canadian border for submission to, consideration
by, and potential approval by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
B. SUMMARY OF PROGRESS:
This report summarizes progress made in developing the HCP, formally entitled the
“Great Plains Wind Energy HCP” from August 11, 2009 – November 15, 2013. Three Interim
Performance Reports (attached) have been submitted previously, covering reporting periods as
follows:
B.1 PROGRESS DURING INITIAL YEAR OF PROJECT (August 11, 2009 – August
10, 2010)
Substantial effort and progress was made in developing the Whooping Crane and Lesser Prairie-
Chicken Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) during the 2009-2010 reporting year. To support this
progress, in August 2009, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), on behalf of wind
energy development companies who collectively represent the “applicant” in this process,
selected a Technical and Legal Consulting Team to complete a preliminary draft HCP for the
whooping crane and lesser-prairie chicken. AWEA selected prime contractor BHE