AWEA - Pioneering Wind-Wildlife Leader Brought Everyone to Table

The wind industry took a collective pause this week as it reflected on the life of Iberdrola Renewables’ Andrew Linehan, the pioneering leader in the area of siting and wildlife issues who died January 8.

The industry responded swiftly to the news, establishing in his honor the Andrew Linehan Award for Environmental Excellence. Linehan, a member of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee, was instrumental in developing national guidelines on wildlife issues by working with a group of diverse stakeholders including other wind industry members, environmental groups, state wildlife agencies, and others. He was known for tackling these at-times controversial issues with a pioneering approach characterized by total inclusiveness, ensuring that all stakeholders and viewpoints had a place at the table.

Linehan brought that approach to his tireless work in numerous wildlife-related efforts—specifically, in his leadership at the American Wind Wildlife Institute, where he sat on the board of directors, and the Bats & Wind Energy Cooperative, an initiative under which his company, Iberdrola, has repeatedly stepped up to host wind-wildlife studies at the company’s wind farm sites. Lineham’s stamp on these issues, placed with a touch that was gentle yet lasting, will be indelible—particularly in light of the fact that the field has made such huge advances in recent years, industry members said.

“We are already missing Andy a great deal—as a leader, and, so much more significantly, as a person,” said AWEA Manager of Siting Policy Laurie Jodziewicz. “Andy won an AWEA special achievement award back in 2007 so it is wonderful to have his leadership and huge contribution to the wind industry recognized by establishing this permanent award.”

The annual award named in Lineham’s honor will recognize wind industry members who contribute to the responsible siting and permitting of individual projects, tackle wildlife issues proactively, and work to establish and advance—as Linehan was known to have done—the “highest environmental standards for the industry.” It is expected that the first such award will be given at the 2010 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition.

The former Peace Corps volunteer spent 16 years at engineering/sciences consulting firm CH2M HILL before moving on to PPM Energy (which was bought by Iberdrola), where he became director of wind project siting.

The Andy Linehan Scholarship fund is also being created in Linehan’s honor. The scholarship will be for students attending Reed College, with preference given to those in the school’s burgeoning environmental studies program. To contribute to the fund, go to http://giving.reed.edu , then click the Give Online button. Use the Comments field at the end of the page to direct the gift toward the Andrew Linehan Scholarship. You may also call 1-877-865-1469 and ask to make a gift to the Andrew Linehan Scholarship.