Dear Sir,
The World Council for Nature (WCFN) learned with consternation the revival of the plan to erect wind turbines in the Great Lakes, in this case western Lake Erie, one of the world’s busiest migration hotspot for water birds, songbirds, and raptors including iconic eagles. The name of the project, “Icebreaker”, announces to wind developers everywhere that, if approved, the Great Lakes will be open to their greed, as is the rest of the country.
The massacre of 2,900 golden eagles and over 250,000 other birds by the wind turbines of Altamont Pass has taught you nothing, obviously. Why care about the Great Lakes, the quality of their waters, and the millions of birds crossing them twice a year in their migrations when the media at large has given carte blanche to the wind industry? If it’s not in the press, Washington couldn’t be bothered, right?
In the rolling hills of Altamont, new wind turbines will replace the old ones and continue hacking raptors to death for another 25 years. A “study” was done predicting that the bigger turbines will kill only half as many eagles, and this was deemed satisfactory by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, under Washington’s orders. What the study didn’t say is that if “only” 1,500 golden eagles will be killed it’s because their numbers across the Western United States has dwindled since the onslaught of “green” policies.
There is no dearth of consultants who will sign reports saying what the wind industry and the Administration want to hear, e.g. that no harm is being done to the overall population of whooping cranes, California condors, eagles etc. Their bought “science” has no intrinsic value whatsoever, but it’s enough to provide decision makers with the excuses they need to look the other way while developers destroy the American wilderness and its biodiversity. Lobbies call the tune in Washington DC, and the American people had better get used to the idea. Correct?
No doubt “green” NGO’s will applaud to the planting of ineffective, polluting wind turbines in the Great Lakes, and that bird societies will give their approval provided more money is given to them for “mitigation” and “compensation”. With such cheerleaders, who can blame you for helping with the destruction?
Your responsibility will be paramount in this eco-disaster. I guess the Fish and Wildlife Service felt uncomfortable in the role you are now playing. After all, their mission is to protect American wildlife, not to help it disappear.
Yours, sincerely