The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
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April 12, San Jose, CA
Continued below the orange worm tracks
I missed this when it was fresh and just found it in a rehabbers' site:
Court invalidates 30-year 'eagle take' rule
The U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, today ruled that the Department of the Interior violated federal laws when it created a final regulation allowing wind energy and some other companies to obtain 30-year permits to kill protected Bald and Golden Eagles without prosecution by the federal government. The court decision invalidates the rule.
American Bird Conservancy (ABC), a plaintiff in the lawsuit, hailed the decision. "We are pleased that the courts agreed with us that improper shortcuts were taken in the development of this rule," said Michael Hutchins, director of ABC's Bird Smart Wind Energy Program. "The court found that important laws meant to protect our nation's wildlife were not properly followed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, putting Bald and Golden Eagles at greater risk."
The court wrote: " ... substantial questions are raised as to whether the Final 30-Year Rule may have a significant adverse effect on bald and golden eagle populations."
Obviously, following the law might slow down some individual wind projects and thereby slow the spread of alternate energy. It might also force some to select less than absolute optimum locations from an energy perspective, but, in the end, it will be worth it. Once you've seen an eagle with half of a wing and realized that a different turbine design, or a slightly less optimum location, or both would've probably avoided the problem you see things a bit differently. This is all the more so, since the bottom line isn't will we get the energy, but the actual power company's bottom line and the investor and shareholder rates of return.
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Now It's Your Turn What have you noted happening in your area or travels? As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.
Thank you.