Wyoming Wind Farms Threaten Golden Eagle
CODY, Wyo. (AP) — The rush to build wind farms to combat climate change is colliding with the preservation of one of the U.S. West’s most spectacular predators — the golden eagle — as the species teeters on the edge of decline.
November 23, 2013. A Wyoming wind farm, just outside of Casper, is fined by the federal government for killing a golden eagle. (CSM).
Eagle deaths lead to Duke Energy Corp. paying $1 million for birds killed at two Wyoming wind farms. It was the first time a US wind energy company had been successfully prosecuted for the deaths of eagles or other protected birds. (CSM).
The answer from the Obama Administration was to give wind farms permits, allowing them to kill birds.
Wyoming is home to one of the largest habitats of the golden eagle. They used to be endangered. But over the years, though a lot of work, their numbers have stabilized.
Yet they are considered to be on the edge of slipping back into the endangered species category if they lose too many more.
One of the biggest dangers to birds of all kinds, and bats, are wind turbines.
Yet Wyoming is building them in record number, putting the lives of these birds and many other raptors in danger once again.
Energy companies eager to take advantage of federal green energy subsidies are still putting up wind turbines in Wyoming at a frantic pace, with many of them being right in the golden eagle’s prime hunting and nesting territory. It’s estimated that hundreds of the birds have died in turbine blades in the past few years and it’s only getting worse. But scientists claim that climate change will kill off the birds also, so it’s a case of “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” (Associated Press).
So-called "environmental groups" and animal protection groups like Wild Earth Guardians want to "save the planet from man-made climate change."
So are they willing to put these golden eagles and other birds at risk to do so?
The AP interviewed scientists who work to save the golden eagles. They are primarily working on tagging them.
Dr. Charles Preston of the Teton Raptor Center in Wilson, Wyoming said that nobody is suggesting stopping the construction of new wind turbines in the mountains.
But are these wind farms really "saving the planet?"
They are not. In fact, these farms have been shown to be, in many ways, not green, clean, or sustainable. Toxic waste is made to create and dispose of them. But the "green movement" ignores this and still strongly believes in them.
You aren’t hearing voices in the "green energy" movement shedding many tears for the golden eagles.
The humble Gunnison sage-grouse, also found in the area has also been declining in numbers. The federal government canceled oil drilling leases to protect those birds.
Doesn’t the golden eagle deserve at least the same amount of respect and protection as the sage-grouse? One bird is not more valuable than the other.
But the "green movement" cares more about wind turbines and wants to stop drilling. This is a fight to shut down the oil and gas industry.
The Kansas City Star just this week on the subject. He admits that wind turbines kill a lot of birds, but says “that’s a distraction from bigger problems.”
Yes, wind turbines do kill birds. A 2014 study cited by the United States Geological Survey estimated that 368,000 bird deaths are caused by wind turbines annually.
That study was done back in 2014. How many more are being killed today now that we have so many more wind farms?
So if the Gunnison sage-grouse goes extinct, it’s a disaster. The world will be a darker and poorer place without it.
But if the golden eagle disappears it’s a distraction.
The hypocrisy is staggering.