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The Biden administration is proposing a new permitting program to address the issue of wind turbines killing bald and golden eagles, without slowing down the construction of new wind energy projects. Bald eagle numbers have quadrupled since 2009 to about 350,000 birds, but there are only about about 40,000 golden eagles left.
The proposal, which comes after several major utilities have been federally prosecuted in recent years for killing large numbers of eagles without permits, calls for new permits tailored to wind-energy projects and power line networks. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said the new program would provide "multiple pathways to obtain a permit" while also helping conserve eagles.
Federal officials have declined to say how many eagles are killed illegally by wind farms each year. Last year, companies were permitted to "take" 170 golden eagles—meaning that many birds could be killed by turbines or lost through impacts on nests or habitat, according to permitting data obtained by The Associated Press. Companies are responsible for offsetting each death by ensuring at least one eagle is saved somewhere else.
New podcast episode on permitting reform
University of Utah law professor Jamie Pleune joins Kate and Aaron on the Landscape to talk about the National Environmental Policy Act and energy infrastructure permitting reform. Pleune and her colleagues analyzed over 40,000 Forest Service NEPA decisions to determine the average time it takes to complete environmental reviews, as well as what causes the majority of delays in permitting. She says that striving for efficient NEPA decisions is a good goal—but setting arbitrary deadlines for major projects may not be the best way to achieve it.
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There's a direct connection between biodiversity loss and instability in a lot of parts of the world... It's not just about nature for nature’s sake. I think it is about people.”
