Just in time for Earth Day, the Obama administration has released a study of a proposed wind farm project in Wyoming, and the results are grim.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the Chokecherry-Sierra Madre project, which would be the largest onshore wind installation in North America, would kill between 10 to 14 innocent, majestic golden eagles a year.
More: UK’s Prince Charles in ‘Brain Experiments on Kids’ Scandal
This great bird (a golden eagle) was killed this week by a stupid windmill. https://t.co/u4znczjnU4 pic.twitter.com/6s9CuZcfOd
— Steve Milloy (@JunkScience) August 2, 2015
Those estimates only apply to the first phase of the project, which would involve just half of the 1,000 turbines eventually planned for construction.
According to a 2013 report, wind turbines are responsible for up to 328,000 bird deaths per year. Some experts have argued this amounts to an avian genocide.
As part of the government approval process for wind farms, the administration must give power companies a special waiver to kill birds, such as bald eagles and golden eagles, that are protected under U.S. law.
Solar panels have also been known to kill eagles and other birds by incinerating them mid-flight. This could be one reason (you never know) why the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as “environmentalists” has declined significantly over the past two decades.
Americans' Identification as "Environmentalists" Down to 42%… https://t.co/M614zP3WMY pic.twitter.com/6vxwQqUmwU
— GallupNews (@GallupNews) April 22, 2016
In other Earth Day news, the founder of the Weather Channel slammed the widely celebrated Paris climate agreement
