Pa. wind farm plan delayed by dead bat

WINDBER, Pa. - February 2, 2012 (WPVI) -- A dead bat that shut down one southwestern Pennsylvania wind farm's turbines at night is causing federal regulators to reconsider plans for another 30-turbine wind farm.

There's no scientific proof the endangered Indiana bat found dead on Sept. 26 was killed by a windmill.

But it was found on a wind farm owned by Duke Energy Renewables which covers part of Cambria and Blair counties, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.

The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown says the bat is causing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to again review plans Gamesa Inc. has for 30 turbines along the Somerset and Bedford County lines.

Environmentalists say this location is also in the migratory path of the bats.

A Gamesa spokesman says the review is "simply another step in the permitting process."

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