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The same article suggests several different potential solutions. Dams have their fish ladders to address salmon runs; I expect wind turbines will require their own measures.
I wonder if painting bird-of-prey silhouettes on the blades would work?
The same article suggests several different potential solutions. Dams have their fish ladders to address salmon runs; I expect wind turbines will require their own measures.
I wonder if painting bird-of-prey silhouettes on the blades would work?
The solution already established is to perform careful environmental reviews in advance of building a wind farm. Bird, bat, etc assessments are prepared before ground is broken.
If anybody is concerned about bird deaths, the technology they should be worried about first and foremost is insecticides. Widely applied chemicals like neonicotinoid and fipronil are deadly to bees, frogs, birds (from insect ingestion), and earthworms.
The solution already established is to perform careful environmental reviews in advance of building a wind farm. Bird, bat, etc assessments are prepared before ground is broken.
The problem is that wind farms have been given a pass on the zero tolerance rule enforced on others when it comes to killing raptors. While it's true that tall, glass buildings and house cats kill a huge number of birds, they have almost no effect on raptors or bats, which have been significantly affected wind mills.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjshae
... Widely applied chemicals like neonicotinoid and fipronil are deadly to bees, frogs, birds (from insect ingestion), and earthworms.
Those facts are stated as if they have practical significance. Neonics are used on row crops that don't require pollination by insects, and moreover, are not usually broadcast over the acreage. They are usually used for treatment of seeds prior to sowing. Use of any insecticide generally doesn't increase yields; it helps guarantee the usual yield.... Use of chemicals in ag doesn't affect Nature anywhere near as much as does the mere loss of natural habitat that goes with plowing up large tracts of land for mono-culture planting.
Wind turbine farms, certainly the size of the ones on the Texas South Plains, hopefully require environmental impact statements (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) instead of simple environmental assessments (EA)?
EAs can easily cover up significant environmental and economic impacts with a FONSI that can be held tightly to the chest of the developer and the government agency providing funding for the program.
I certainly don't expect to see any more golden eagles here on the South Plains. With the current density of these turbines around here, I would also guess that aerial agricultural spraying has been adversely impacted. I know that local noise levels day and night have been greatly affected.
Wind turbine farms, certainly the size of the ones on the Texas South Plains, hopefully require environmental impact statements (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) instead of simple environmental assessments (EA)?
EAs can easily cover up significant environmental and economic impacts with a FONSI that can be held tightly to the chest of the developer and the government agency providing funding for the program.
I certainly don't expect to see any more golden eagles here on the South Plains. With the current density of these turbines around here, I would also guess that aerial agricultural spraying has been adversely impacted. I know that local noise levels day and night have been greatly affected.
South Plains farmers love the wind farms. Raptor population is really tied to the population of prey not presence of wind farms.
The solution already established is to perform careful environmental reviews in advance of building a wind farm. Bird, bat, etc assessments are prepared before ground is broken.
Yep, stopping any hope for progress in its tracks, and then clubbing it to death with a spiked baseball bat. Brilliant!!!
South Plains farmers love the wind farms. Raptor population is really tied to the population of prey not presence of wind farms.
Where are those so-called environmental assessments? My farm is in the wind farm's footprint and I was never invited to review anything except the payout amounts.
Do you know if EAs and FONSIs prepared for each turbine or for the entire turbine farm?
Where are those so-called environmental assessments? My farm is in the wind farm's footprint and I was never invited to review anything except the payout amounts.
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Do you know if EAs and FONSIs prepared for each turbine or for the entire turbine farm?
Assessments are prepared for a farm not for each turbine. For birds it usually lasts about 15 months to cover both breeding and migration periods. There is usually a public comment period before the report is finalized, but individuals aren't in the review loop per se.
The problem is that wind farms have been given a pass on the zero tolerance rule enforced on others when it comes to killing raptors. While it's true that tall, glass buildings and house cats kill a huge number of birds, they have almost no effect on raptors or bats, which have been significantly affected wind mills.
No such rule.
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