We all know the government’s proclivity for finding flaws in everything matches that of even the most archetypal mother-in-law.
Federal authorities have penalized a green power business $8 million and imposed a five-year probationary period after bald, as well as golden, eagles perished on its wind turbines, and the newest casualty may shock you.
Does It Even Work in the First Place?
There really is no such thing as “renewable power” any longer. Even so-called “green energy” contains traces of bird blood.
Only, when you think the energy battle will not get any crazier, Joe Biden’s Justice Department sucker-punched many of its own poster boys.
Over the span of a decade, the energy corporation NextEra killed 150 birds accidentally in eight states, all while attempting to follow Biden’s request to “build up renewable energy.”
According to the Associated Press:
During a court session in Cheyenne, Wyoming, NextEra Energy affiliate ESI Energy was put in prison, is accused of three charges of breaching the Migratory Bird Act.
Nine big birds were killed at 3 wind turbines in Wyoming as well as New Mexico, prompting the charges.
REMINDER— Joe Biden has promised a war on American energy.
From the 2020 campaign: “No more drilling on federal lands. No more drilling, including offshore. No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill. Period. Ends.” pic.twitter.com/STbBrh8DLg
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 12, 2022
Prosecutors said the corporation admitted to the killings of golden, as well as bald, eagles at 50 wind turbines linked with ESI, as well as NextEra since 2012, in addition to those fatalities.
New Mexico, North Dakota, Wyoming, California, Colorado, Michigan, Arizona, and Illinois were among the states where birds were slain.
It seems that spinning 164-foot-long rotor blades at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour has the potential to kill a few birds. Who’d have guessed?
Probation and a heavy fine are not really the end of the story.
According to the Associated Press, the corporation will contribute $27 million towards preventing future eagle fatalities, “shut down blades at times when eagles are much more likely to show up,” and pay $29,623 each time a wind farm kills one eagle in the future.
Who Wants Green Energy with Fines Like These?
Looks like Biden finally hired a competent White House energy advisor!!! I was wondering when he’d revert back to Trump’s energy policies… pic.twitter.com/jeiiTKWqVr
— Juan Andres Caro (@realJuanCaro) April 16, 2022
Even though we are staunch supporters of fossil fuels, we can’t help but sympathize with these wind power advocates.
We were under the assumption that crimes necessitated some level of intentionality or negligence.
“Companies have historically been allowed to avoid punishment under the century-old Migratory Bird International treaties, provided they take precautions to avoid deaths and seek licenses for those that occur,” according to the Associated Press.
Though how can the promising performance of NextEra, or any other wind energy business, harness the massive amounts of wind required to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 without putting the lives of some birds at risk?
Should they use ethically sourced, recycled plastic wrap to encase those blades? Slow down the blades so the little birdbrains have enough time to get out of the way?
Make the windmills teeny-small, then increase them by the billions all over the place to account for their small dimension?
