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Effective 2021-05-14 (expires 2027-05-14), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Program (ES) issued an incidental take permit (ITP) under §10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for incidental take resulting from implementing the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for High Prairie Wind Energy Center (Project or Facility). The HCP was submitted by the Ameren Missouri (the Applicant, previously TG High Prairie, LLC) as part of their ITP application. These documents transmit the review of the subject action and its effects to the Covered Species, including the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), northern long-eared bat (M. septentrionalis), and little brown bat (M. lucifugus). This action occurs at the edge of the range of the endangered gray bat (M. grisescens); however, there will be no effect to gray bats. No gray bats were found during extensive surveys, and the HCP includes a changed circumstance to address gray bats should any be found in the future. 

Permit Number: ESPER0011567

FWS POC: Kris Budd

This collection includes the following documents:

• High Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan - May 2021
• Set of findings for High Prairie
• Biological Opinion for High Prairie
• Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for High Prairie
• High Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan - Federal Permit - ESPER0011567
• Final Environmental Assessment for High Prairie Renewable Energy Center

Publications associated with this facility:

• Newman C, Surrey KC. 2025. The costs of wind energy permitting compliance actions for regulated bats in the US. PLoS One 20(5): e0322005.

Reporting

The Permittee ensures that all reporting requirements set forth in the HCP are carried out as more fully described therein (HCP Chapters 7 and 8), including by way of example, but not limited to: Monitoring reports will be submitted to the Service by December 15 the calendar year of each round of Intensive Monitoring. These reports will include information necessary to estimate take of Covered Species, such as: date, time, location, species, and sex, of all bat carcasses documented; bias trial data; calculated g value; estimated average annual take rates and cumulative take estimates of the Covered Species; adaptive management triggers activated (if any) and planned response; EoA inputs for the monitoring year; allbat fatality rate; and a record of ambient temperatures and wind speeds and the application of cut-in speeds during a representative sample of the minimization period. AND Information on bats found incidentally during Operations Wildlife Monitoring will also be reported to the Service annually.