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Thread: Bird VS Idiots

  1. #16
    Associated Press
    DINA CAPPIELLO September 11, 2013 5:34 PM

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Wind energy facilities have killed at least 67 golden and bald eagles in the last five years, but the figure could be much higher, according to a new scientific study by government biologists.

    The research represents one of the first tallies of eagle deaths attributed to the nation's growing wind energy industry, which has been a pillar of President Barack Obama's plans to reduce the pollution blamed for global warming. Wind power releases no air pollution.

    But at a minimum, the scientists wrote, wind farms in 10 states have killed at least 85 eagles since 1997, with most deaths occurring between 2008 and 2012, as the industry was greatly expanding. Most deaths — 79 — were golden eagles that struck wind turbines. One of the eagles counted in the study was electrocuted by a power line.

    The vice president of the American Bird Conservancy, Mike Parr, said the tally was "an alarming and concerning finding."

    A trade group, the American Wind Energy Association, said in a statement that the figure was much lower than other causes of eagle deaths. The group said it was working with the government and conservation groups to find ways to reduce eagle casualties.

    Still, the scientists said their figure is likely to be "substantially" underestimated, since companies report eagle deaths voluntarily and only a fraction of those included in their total were discovered during searches for dead birds by wind-energy companies. The study also excluded the deadliest place in the country for eagles, a cluster of wind farms in a northern California area known as Altamont Pass. Wind farms built there decades ago kill more than 60 per year.

    "It is not an isolated event that is restricted to one place in California, it is pretty widespread," said Brian Millsap, the national raptor coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and one of the study's authors.

    The study excluded 17 eagle deaths for which there was not enough evidence. And, in a footnote, it says more golden and bald eagles have since been killed at wind energy facilities in three additional states — Idaho, Montana, and Nevada.

    It's unclear what toll the deaths could be having on local eagle populations. And while the golden eagle population is stable in the West, any additional mortality to a long-lived species such as an eagle can be a "tipping point," Millsap said.

    The research affirms an AP investigation in May, which revealed dozens of eagle deaths from wind energy facilities and described how the Obama administration was failing to fine or prosecute wind energy companies, even though each death is a violation of federal law.
    View gallery."
    Graphic shows how birds are harmed by wind turbines; …
    Graphic shows how birds are harmed by wind turbines; 3c x 7 inches; 146 mm x 177 mm;

    Documents obtained by the AP under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act show that in two cases in Iowa federal investigators determined that a bald eagle had been killed by blunt force trauma with a wind turbine blade. But neither case led to prosecution.

    In one of the cases, a bald eagle was found with a missing wing and a leg in a corn field near a turbine at EDP Renewables North America LLC's Pioneer Prairie facility in Iowa. But the report says, "due to the sensitive nature of wind farm investigations and the fact that this investigation documented first violation for EDPR in Midwest, no charges will be pursued at this time." The report lists four other golden eagle deaths at a wind farm operated by the company in Oregon. The company did not return emailed questions about the incidents from the AP.

    The Fish and Wildlife Service, which employs the six researchers, has said it is investigating 18 bird-death cases involving wind-power facilities, and seven have been referred to the Justice Department. The authors noted the study's findings do not necessarily reflect the views of the agency, although some of their data was obtained from staff.

    Meanwhile, the wind energy industry has pushed for, and the White House is currently evaluating, giving companies permission to kill a set number of eagles for 30 years. The change extends by 25 years the permit length in place now, but it was not subjected to a full environmental review because the administration classified it as an administrative change.

    Wind farms are clusters of turbines as tall as 30-story buildings, with spinning rotors as wide as a passenger jet's wingspan. Though the blades appear to move slowly, they can reach speeds up to 170 mph at the tips, creating tornado-like vortexes.

    Wind farms in two states, California and Wyoming, were responsible for 58 deaths, followed by facilities in Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington, Utah, Texas, Maryland and Iowa.

    In all, 32 facilities were implicated. One in Wyoming was responsible for a dozen golden eagle deaths, the most at a single facility.

    The research was published in the Journal of Raptor Research.


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  2. #17
    CPT TNRabbit R.I.P.'s Avatar
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    The problem in the article you posted is the same problem with everything that the government sticks it's nose into. Tax subsities, MONEY, lobbyists, etc.

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by TNRabbit View Post
    The problem in the article you posted is the same problem with everything that the government sticks it's nose into. Tax subsities, MONEY, lobbyists, etc.
    --- and yours was "complete fact".:love_heart:

    I like critters more than most, it is beyond politics for me.
    Politics are great fun but WTF.

    Beyond party, I support the 2nd amendment, the Southern Battle Flag, and critters.
    I am the only guy in a tie

  4. #19
    CPT TNRabbit R.I.P.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    --- and yours was "complete fact".:love_heart:

    I like critters more than most, it is beyond politics for me.
    Politics are great fun but WTF.

    Beyond party, I support the 2nd amendment, the Southern Battle Flag, and critters.
    I wasn't complaining about your article, I was complaining about the bureaucrats fucking everything up

  5. #20
    BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Wind turbines killed at least 600,000 -- and possibly as many as 900,000 -- bats in the United States in 2012, researchers say.

    Writing in the journal BioScience, the researchers said they used sophisticated statistical techniques to infer the probable number of bat deaths at wind energy facilities from the number of dead bats found at 21 locations.

    Bats, which play an important role in the ecosystem as insect-eaters, are killed at wind turbines not only by collisions with moving turbine blades but also by the trauma resulting from sudden changes in air pressure that occur near a fast-moving blade, the study said.

    Study author Mark Hayes of the University of Colorado notes that 600,000 is a conservative estimate -- the true number could be 50 percent higher than that -- and some areas of the country might experience much higher bat fatality rates at wind energy facilities than others.

    Hayes said the Appalachian Mountains have the highest estimated fatality rates in his analysis.

    With bats already under stress because of climate change and disease, in particular white-nose syndrome, the estimate of wind turbine deaths is worrisome, he said -- especially as bat populations grow only very slowly, with most species producing only one young per year.

  6. #21
    CPT TNRabbit R.I.P.'s Avatar
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    The USGS is studying this: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/BatsWindmills/

    Should be interesting to see what they determine.

    I see reports strewn all over the internet predicting doom & gloom & the imminent demise of the planet. Many take a fact, then stretch & mold it to fit the particular dogma that they happen to be selling. I take most with a pound (!) of salt until I learn otherwise. I SUSPECT the current flurry over the decimation of bats & birds is more overreaction/fabrication, but I try to keep an open mind. I generally don't trust reports from "freerepublic.com" or other extreme sites, unless I can back it up from a confirmed reliable source.

    So far, what I've read indicates the single biggest thing we can do to reduce the number of strikes is to ensure these wind farms aren't built on major migratory routes. They are also studying ways to modify wind farms & specifics of the windmills to reduce impact on bird/bat & other fauna, to include different colors & types of paint, blade shape, etc.
    Last edited by TNRabbit R.I.P.; 11-10-2013 at 11:26 PM.

  7. #22
    CPT TNRabbit R.I.P.'s Avatar
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    I was trying to upload a Dept of Energy fact sheet, but it keeps failing...not sure why. It appears to be well-presented & makes sense. Here's a link to it: https://www.nationalwind.org/assets/...act_Sheet_.pdf

    Here's another report by Duke University: https://web.duke.edu/nicholas/bio217/ptb4/batswind.html

  8. #23
    In a settlement announced Friday, Duke Energy will pay $1 million for killing 14 golden eagles over the past three years at two Wyoming wind farms. The company says it pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
    I am the only guy in a tie

  9. #24
    Go nuke.
    We are now a net exporter of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are currently the lowest cost, most reliable and easiest to produce form of energy. Fossil fuels have helped to almost half the number of people globally living in poverty. We will someday have to get off of fossil fuels. The world will some day run out. Current renewable energy sources are expensive and unreliable. Claiming that we must stop using fossil fuels so we can reduce CO2 is, at best, silly.
    I do not believe there is any accurate way to count the number of birds killed by wind turbines. You can only estimate and that leaves much room for argument. It is interesting to note that, at least from what I was able to find info on, the carbon foot print to make and then dispose of a wind turbine is bigger than the amount of foot print is may eliminate. I am also waiting to see what happens to all the solar panels when they finally need to be replaced. Energy is the live blood of civilization.

  10. #25
    From great American and President this week:


    “You want to see a bird graveyard?” he asked. “You just go take a look. A bird graveyard. Go under a windmill someday,” he said. “You’ll see more birds than you’ve ever seen ever in your life.” --Donald Trump

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...-of-windmills/

  11. #26
    Bill,
    It is interesting to note that power companies seem to be installing wind farms and solar farms to satisfy a public relations situation. Neither technology has or will do anything to supply large amounts of cost effective reliable broad based energy requirements. There is no need to worry about CO2 as we need more and not less. Someday we will run out of fossil fuels and we need a great source of energy and I believe it is next generation nuclear.
    On the subject of bird killings, I read recently that the number one killer of the California condor. I do not think it was an estimate but an actual count.

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