Opinions
Wind-driven blunder
The wildlife service says that monitoring and reporting by the wind energy operators "will be critically important for assessing impacts to eagles" under the proposed rules, and that the agency will conduct "periodic evaluations" of permitted sites. But the acreage devoted to wind turbines has exploded in the past decade; wildlife service staff has not. Effectively enforcement of these permits is a dubious prospect.
June 7, 2012
in The Press Enterprise
The bald eagle warrants protection not only as one of nature's most majestic creatures, but as the U.S. national symbol. A proposed change to regulations that govern the killing of bald eagles, simply to accommodate wind-power generators, could reverse progress in the recovery of this once-endangered species. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service should leave in place existing permit procedures, which are generous enough as is.
Under federal regulations adopted in 2009, two years after the bald eagle was taken off the endangered species list, businesses and other entities can apply for a five-year permit that allows killing of bald eagles... [continue via Web link]
| < prev | next > |
Note: this article may be subject to the Fair Use Notice.