The Flap Over Wind Power

Linowes said National Wind Watch found out about the meeting only indirectly. In a Jan. 31 letter sent to Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton , the group contended that any gatherings of industry and other "stakeholders" require more public participation from a broader cross section of interest groups.

Fish and Wildlife officials said the proposed meeting was announced at several public events related to wind power issues held around the country. There also was an extensive list of groups and government representatives invited to the first meeting. But the agency did not issue a news release about the group's existence.

Sharon B. Young , marine issues field director for the Humane Society, said she tried to become a member but was unsuccessful. Instead, her group was invited to attend two days before the meeting, too late for her to fly to Washington, she said.

"It's like saying, 'I'm having a birthday party tonight; you want to come?' " Young said.

The role that regulators will play in this dispute is being watched closely by lawmakers, lobbyists and citizen groups.

For example, Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.) wrote to Norton in 2004 and called the guidelines "flawed' and a possible detriment to further wind power development. On the other hand, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) wants to make it harder to build more turbines. "The windmills we are talking about today are not your grandmother's windmills," he said, introducing a bill to eliminate federal subsidies for wind power and give local authorities more power in approving sites.

There are fissures among environmental groups on the issue. Many support wind energy because it is "green." But National Wind Watch does not consider the Audubon Society's role in the policy group representative of its concerns.

Tim Cullinan , director of bird conservation for the Audubon Society, acknowledged there is a broad range of opinion among environmental groups. His intent, he said, was to open a dialogue among the parties. "The dilemma we faced was that if Audubon did not get involved, there was still the risk of an inside job [on the part] of the wind power industry putting pressure on Fish and Wildlife."

Agency officials said they had no preconceptions about the outcome of the meeting. "We made it clear nothing would be adopted as policy without independent notice, comment and review," said Brian Millsap , chief of Fish and Wildlife's division of migratory bird management.

But in response to the bluster of the opponents, the agency canceled the meeting while Interior Department attorneys mull what to do next.