Creating the wind energy industry's siting guide

Tetra Tech teamed with Nixon Peabody LLP to develop the Wind Energy Siting Handbook for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). This online handbook serves as a siting guidance tool for the wind energy industry, including developers, regulatory agencies, and other interested parties. The handbook focuses on environmental siting issues relevant to land-based commercial-scale wind energy project development in the United States.

Subjects in the handbook include:

• Wind energy basics
• Critical environmental issues analysis
• Regulatory framework
• Impact analysis and mitigation
• Environmental site assessments
• Public outreach

Tetra Tech’s expert staff researched and designed each section of the handbook. Tetra Tech also coordinated with Nixon Peabody to address legal issues associated with the siting process. Authors from Tetra Tech and Nixon Peabody drafted and cross-reviewed the various components of the handbook and compiled the pieces into a cohesive, user-friendly document. Tetra Tech’s skilled publications team created the web-based guide to ensure universal accessibility and the ability for readers to link to external web resources. Working closely with members of the AWEA Siting Committee, Tetra Tech and Nixon Peabody launched the completed handbook in February 2008 at the AWEA Wind Energy Siting Workshop in Austin, Texas.

The handbook is available on-line at www.awea.org/sitinghandbook.

Highlights:

• Developed content with sufficient breadth and depth to ensure the handbook would be useful to developers, regulatory agencies, and other interested parties
• Met the client’s schedule and budget
• Worked closely with members of the AWEA siting committee