Navajo County, AZ Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Wind Energy Generation facilities under Special Use Permit only
- Siting limit
- Avoid mountain passes, draws, cliff edges at high risk
- Design requirement
- Towers/nacelles must not attract nesting birds or raptors
- Agencies referenced
- Arizona Game and Fish Dept., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Monitoring
- Pre- and post-construction wildlife studies required
- Reporting
- Annual report must list avian and bat deaths
Summary
In unincorporated Navajo County, Arizona, Section 1202.11 requires a Wind Energy Generation Special Use Permit holder to avoid siting turbines in mountain passes, draws or cliff edges where wildlife studies show a significant avian or bat collision risk, and to design towers and nacelles so they do not attract nesting birds or perching raptors.
11. The applicant shall avoid locating turbines in mountain passes or draws or on cliff edges in order to minimize avian and/or bat collisions when wildlife studies show that the project would pose a significant risk to avian and/or bat populations. Towers and nacelles shall be designed so as not to attract nesting birds or serve as perches for raptors. The SUP holder shall refer to the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ wind guidelines that have been developed to aid the project proponents in reducing impacts to wildlife. ... 12. Pre-construction and post-construction wildlife studies shall be developed and performed with consideration given to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines. Any wildlife impacts discovered during formal postconstruction surveys shall be identified in the formal annual report submitted to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with a copy to the Planning and Development Services Department. The formal annual report shall include avian and bat deaths due to the project.
Full Breakdown
The protection is narrow but concrete: it applies only to a Wind Energy Generation Facility approved under Article 12's Special Use Permit or Development Agreement process, not to general hunting, nest disturbance or bird-keeping countywide. 11 tells the applicant to steer turbine placement away from mountain passes, draws and cliff edges whenever wildlife studies show the project would pose a significant risk to avian or bat populations, and requires towers and nacelles to be designed so they neither attract nesting birds nor serve as raptor perches.
S. Fish and Wildlife Service's wind guidelines for reducing wildlife impacts. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with a copy to the Planning and Development Services Department; that annual report specifically must include avian and bat deaths caused by the project. j reinforces the same wildlife-minimization goal by barring experimental or prototype turbine components and requiring standard production models, on the theory that untested equipment carries higher, unpredictable collision risk.
Violations & Fines
A wind facility that skips the required avian/bat wildlife studies or the annual mortality reporting is out of compliance with its Special Use Permit; Section 1201.2.aa lets the Board of Supervisors suspend or revoke the SUP in whole or part after a noticed hearing if the operator fails to cure noncompliance following 30 days' written notice from the Director.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Navajo County have a general bird-protection ordinance?
What must a wind energy company do to protect birds and bats?
Are bird and bat deaths at wind facilities tracked?
What happens if a wind operator ignores the wildlife study requirements?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Navajo County
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