Final wind-turbine rule permits thousands of eagle deaths

SFGate.com ^ | 12//14/16 | Matthew Daly - AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Wednesday finalized a rule that lets wind-energy companies operate high-speed turbines for up to 30 years — even if means killing or injuring thousands of federally protected bald and golden eagles.

Under the new rule, wind companies and other power providers will not face a penalty if they kill or injure up to 4,200 bald eagles, nearly four times the current limit. Deaths of the more rare golden eagles would be allowed without penalty so long as companies minimize losses by taking steps such as retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution.

The new rule will conserve eagles while also spurring development of a pollution-free energy source intended to ease global warming, a cornerstone of President Barack Obama's energy plan, said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.

"No animal says America like the bald eagle," Ashe said in a statement. He said the Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to balance energy development with eagle conservation.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Trump must kill the wind turbine industry. And order all turbines be removed no exception and the turbine industry must pay for removal.”

Order the army corps of engineers to do a survey to ensure birds will not be killed. Make it retroactive. When the left complains, offer them a moral equivalent.

[US_MilitaryRules]

Actually I’d like to see them torn down and thrown away.

[Timpanagos1]

“Plus they are a visual blight on the landscape...”

Whose landscape are wind turbines blighting?

[itsahoot]

You know, they could put up very wide gauge mesh wire to keep the eagles and other birds out.

Like this?

[hadaclueonce]

Wait until the first documented whooping crane gets chopped.

Heads will be exploding.

[itsahoot]

Just one company example...........

There might be others.

[PIF]

And as a side benefit, since millions more bats will die sliced and diced, the flying insect population will blossom as never before! Love your Deet.

[Logical me]

Who told you 12 percent is produced by wind power. That is pure BS.

[Logical me]

Who told you 12 percent is produced by wind power. That is pure BS.

[econjack]

I remember back in the early 1970's during the gas shortages when the Federal gov't mandated the 55 mph speed limit. Some federal bureaucrat noticed that TX had placed their new speed limit signs too low, and demanded the state raise them by 6" to conform to Federal standards or TX would lose its share of the federal highway funds. I also remember someone in Texas saying: We'll do it ourselves, 'cuz knowing you feds, you'd come in and lower the road by 6".

[DungeonMaster]

Crap article in the local rag about how few birds there were, and how awful it was. Not a word about bammy allowing the damned wind turbines to slice birds to shreds.

Wind turbines do not slice birds to shreds, they smash them.

[DoughtyOne]

Essentially.

The screen moves with the blades.

[Timpanagos1]

“Who told you 12 percent is produced by wind power. That is pure BS.”

“For the 12 month period ending July 2016, wind energy provided 12.14% of all in-state electricity production.
• Equivalent number of homes powered by wind: 4.1 million”

http://awea.files.cms-plus.com/FileDownloads/pdfs/Texas.pdf

[itsahoot]

The screen moves with the blades.

Unfortunately as big as those thing are I doubt they could modify the structures to support the added weight. There are alternatives like I posted above, but the vertical stuff is not as efficient. I lived in Palm Springs for many years those things are a blight on the earth. Note they are not turning.

[DoughtyOne]

I had always thought they look pretty sharp out there, something like one of those exotic art projects.

Then I started hearing about problems with them, which really floored me. Didn’t anyone run any studies before these things were rolled out?

The bird problem was something that took me by surprise too.

[hadaclueonce]

Took the birds by surprise too.

[newgeezer]

Note they are not turning.

LOL!

[hoosierham]

The main problem is wind turbines are not economically viable.

[dfwgator]

The Dude Abides.....

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, the evidence is in... or down there.