Center for Biological Diversity: "Research by raptor experts for the California Energy Commission (CEC) indicates that each year, Altamont Pass wind turbines kill an estimated 881 to 1,300 birds of prey...."
Beware the strong push of ANYTHING, no matter how alluring...
Decades ago, many conservationists championed hydroelectric dams as a renewable, non-polluting energy source. Now, of course, we know better. Dams seriously impact local ecosystems, resulting in loss of habitat, loss of migratory routes, and displacement of local populations.
As the price of gasoline rises, it's easy for proponents of ANY energy source to lambast those who raise concerns. Bush et al have already done this by attacking "boutique" fuels, by demanding we open up ANWR and other protected areas, loosen clean air standards, and so on.
Sadly, the Wind Power Industry is doing almost exactly the same thing as the Oil Industry.
As people question the impact of massive wind turbines on the environment, they are derided as NIMBYists or elitist snobs. More, Wind Power lobbyists do the same thing as oil lobbyists in their often successful attempts to
bypass environmental protections:
The 68-turbine Smøla wind farm was built between 2001 and 2005. The Norwegian government ignored advice based on an environmental assessment, warning against the development because of the danger it posed to white-tailed eagles.
Indeed, the fact remains that massive Wind Turbines are not free from environmental problems. Far from it. Beyond scenic impairments, wind turbines seriously impact birdlife, particularly raptors:
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds:
Wind turbines have caused the deaths of huge birds of prey on isolated islands off the Norwegian coast. The discovery of four dead white-tailed eagles, and the failure of almost 30 others to return to nesting sites within the wind farm area, has increased fears that wind farms in Britain could take a similar toll on native and migrating wild birds.
Most rivers in the US have dams. Soon, will most ridgetops sprout massive industrial wind farms?
The notion that industrial-size wind energy facilities -- arrays of huge wind turbines -- will solve America's increasing electrical energy demands, while simultaneously enjoying the benefits of being environmentally ''green'' technology, is inaccurate. These are not small windmills, or even Holland's more picturesque windmills. Instead, they range up to about 450 feet high and dominate the landscapes in which they are constructed. They also cause massive ridgeline and viewshed degradation on the forested Appalachian ridges in northeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania and in West Virginia.
And you know how the Coal industry more or less refuses to implement pollution controls on their plants? Would you believe the same thing is happening with Wind?
The CEC has concluded that re-powering projects (replacing numerous outdated turbines with fewer turbines on taller towers, so that the blades are above most raptor flight patterns) have the best potential for reducing bird kills at APWRA. In an August 2004 report, raptor experts with the CEC recommended re-powering the APWRA and proposed that wind power companies implement a suite of mitigation measures to reduce bird kills at existing turbines as well as preserve off-site nesting habitat for raptors to compensate for ongoing unacceptable bird losses. Suggested mitigation measures for existing turbines include: retiring or relocating particularly lethal turbines; relocating and siting turbines into configurations less lethal to birds; retrofitting power poles to prevent bird electrocutions; increasing the visibility of turbines to birds; discontinuing the rodent poisoning program; and managing grazing to encourage rodent prey away from turbines. Despite the CEC's recent conclusion that the risk to raptors at APWRA has increased over the past 15 years, the wind power companies at APWRA have failed to commit to these mitigations.
Many people might say that the Altamount Pass wind farm is unique in that it is older, and was initially situated poorly. Sadly, you would be mistaken:
At San Gorgonio pass, a California facility with 2,700 turbines located along the Pacific migratory flyway, Southern California Edison estimates mortality of 3900 to 6900 birds per year (McCrary et al. 1993). At Tehachapi Pass, another California wind facility with 3,700 turbines, researchers calculated a bird risk factor (mortality rate / utilization rate) of 0.0242 (Anderson et al. 1996). At the 600-turbine Solano County site, overall mortality was estimated at 0.029 to 0.074 birds/turbine/yr (Howell & Noon 1992).
As the Wind Industry deploys its lobbyists, please carefully consider the environmental impacts of industrial-scale development in pristine areas...
Some more articles: