Abstract
This Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) has been prepared by Paulding Wind Farm II LLC, Paulding Wind Farm III LLC, and Paulding Wind Farm IV LLC (collectively, the Applicant), all Delaware limited liability corporations and subsidiaries of EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR), also a Delaware limited liability corporation. The Applicant has prepared this HCP to support an application to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) under Section (§) 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 United States Code (USC) 1531-1599 (1973), 1539(a)(1)(B) (1973) that would cover the three phases of the Timber Road Wind Farm (Project; Table 1.1), namely, the Timber Road II Wind Farm (TR-II), Timber Road III Wind Farm (TR-III), and Timber Road IV Wind Farm (TR-IV). The Project includes 134 wind turbines that generate approximately 325.8 megawatts (MW) of electricity at peak output. The Project’s phases achieved commercial operation in different years. TR-II and TR-III are already in operation – with the first full year of commercial operation in 2012 and 2017, respectively – and TR-IV is expected to have its first full year of commercial operation in 2020 (Table 1.1). The Project is located in Paulding County in northwestern Ohio (Figure 1.1).
The purpose and need for this HCP is to provide a comprehensive plan for the conservation of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) and northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) (collectively, the Covered Species) at the Project and in so doing support an ITP application for the Covered Species to enable the operation of a financially viable Project.