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Why is it important to know the locations of wind turbines?

No publicly-available, national database of wind turbines existed prior to the creation of the USGS Windfarm mapper, which was replaced with the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) in 2018. 

Knowing the location of individual turbines and their technical specifications creates new opportunities for research and improved siting and is important information for land and resource management. In addition, large turbines can affect weather and air traffic radar. Knowing the location and height of turbines creates a better understanding of radar-wind issues and increases the effectiveness of planning both new radar and new wind turbine locations.