Dead bat delaying federal approval for Windber wind farm

WINDBER, Pa. --

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, though it was found on a wind farm owned by Duke Energy Renewables covering part of Cambria and Blair counties.

The Tribune-Democrat said 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, which environmentalists said is also in the migratory path of the bats.

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