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Significant wind potential also exists off of the coast of North Carolina, however research on the impacts of off -shore and near -shore wind energy development on pelagic and migrating birds, marine mammals, and reptiles is quite limited. Offshore waters off the North Carolina coast provide one of the richest and most important areas for pelagic birds in the western Atlantic, while inshore waters provide important foraging areas for a variety of birds all months of the year (Manning 2004). Although the management of pelagic bird falls under a variety of jurisdictions in North Carolina, the NC WAP iden- tified 23 priority species for the southeastern U.S. including black - capped petrel (Pteroclroma hasitata), Manx shearwater (Puffcnus puffcnus), and the feder- ally endangered Bermuda petrel (Pteroclroma cahow). Although the USFWS has management jurisdiction over pelagic birds, cold inshore waters are a critical zone during winter for gannets, loons, and alcids. Placement of wind turbines in both off -shore and near -shore areas may have a significant impact on these species at that time. Many species associated with beach and dune habitats will utilize both open waters and in -shore areas for foraging and may also be impacted by wind turbine development. The NC WAP identifies 13 priority avian species that rely on beach and dune habitats, including sand - erling (Caliclris alba), red knot (Caliclris canutus), and American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). Five sea turtles are also associated with this region, including loggerhead (Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermachelys coriacea), and green (Chelonia myths) turtles. Finally, North Carolinas barrier islands offer an important stopover for thousands of shorebirds during their long migrations to rest, forage, or spend the winter (Dinsmore et al. 1998). Promoting and developing alternative energy is an important part of any state's climate change adapta- tion portfolio. While it is readily apparent that wind energy can and does have impacts on the avian and natural communities, those impacts may be miti- gated or avoided with careful and thorough research of potential sites, and by learning from the experi- Pboto: Red Knot, www. tbinkstock. com ences of other wind development efforts across the country. State agency staff may become involved in reviewing potential impacts of wind on public or private lands through the National Environmen- tal Policy Act or North Carolinas Environmen- tal Policy Act or because of specific expertise (for a review of regulatory context for wind development in NC see Appendix Q. Recent recommendations from the USFWS Wind Turbines Guidelines Advi- sory Committee (WTGAC) provide a framework for developing effective measures to avoid or mini- mize impacts to wildlife and their habitats related to land -based wind energy facilities Although the draft guidelines are currently in review, they are expected to achieve the following (WTGAC 2009): 1. Provide a consistent methodology for conduct- ing pre- construction risk assessments and post - construction impact assessments to guide siting decisions by developers and agencies. 2. Encourage communication and coordination between the developer and relevant state and federal agencies during all phases of wind energy project development.