Green Energy not so Environmentally Friendly

Wind turbines: the ultimate in green energy right? Tell that to the 70 Golden Eagles that are killed each year at Altamont Pass in California.

Nevermind the fact that these turbines could never survive without government subsidies and handouts, what I want to point out is the blatant bias displayed by the media when it comes to reporting these things... oh wait, they just don't report on it at all.

Can you imagine if a "big oil" company were responsible for the death of 70 eagles?! It would be all over the news!

The video below may be a bit disturbing, but it illustrates how dangerous these wind turbines are to birds. These 70 deaths are just at this one location. Imagine how many bird deaths are caused around the country by these things! 

 

Remember the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Eagle Protection Acts? If you were to kill an eagle, accidentally or otherwise, you would be subject to up to 2 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Oh that doesn't apply to wind turbines? You try erecting some large experimental device in your backyard, and all it takes is one phone call saying you are endangering animals or the environment, and they are on your front porch with cuffs out.

It gets better: "A 2008 study funded by the Alameda County Community Development Agency estimated that about 2,400 raptors, including burrowing owls, American kestrels, and red-tailed hawks—as well as about 7,500 other birds, nearly all of which are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act—are being killed every year by the turbines at Altamont.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission estimates that wind turbines killed more than 10,000 bats in the state in 2010.

ExxonMobil pleaded guilty in federal court…to the deaths of 85 birds [not eagles] at its operations in several states, according to the Department of Justice. The birds were protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Exxon agreed to pay $600,000 in fines and fees. 

In July, the PacifiCorp utility of Oregon had to pay $10.5 million in fines, restitution and improvements to their equipment after 232 eagles were killed by running into power lines in Wyoming, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

That is far fewer than the estimated 10,000 birds (nearly all protected by the migratory bird law) that are being killed every year at Altamont…" (original article)

 So what's be said or done about these bird-killing machines? Nothing.