Abstract
NorthWestern Energy owns the Spion Kop Wind Farm Project,a25-turbine facility with a total capacity of 40 MW, located in Judith Basin County, Montana. NorthWestern Energy contracted Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks(MFWP)to develop and implement a post-construction monitoring study in accordance with the Tier 4a and 4b US Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. By contracting with MFWP NorthWestern Energy ensured that all data and reports would be in the public domain. MFWP saw an opportunity to gain on the ground experience monitoring impacts to wildlife, expertise that will allow agency biologists to be more effective in consultations with wind developers.In2015 we conducted pilot field studies and assembled the Project’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).The Post-Construction Monitoring Plan was written, and approved by the TAC, in the winter of 2016.This report presents the post-construction monitoring methods and results from studies conducted May2016 through October 2017, including a summary of bat acoustic monitoring conducted by the Montana Natural Heritage Program.