KCET our of Los Angeles this past Friday the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) issued a press release calling on the US Forest and Wildlife Service to mandate independent monitoring of of bird and bat deaths at all wind power farms across the country. Under the present system, wind power companies can hire biologists that report to the companies rather than the Forest and Wildlife Service. ABC accused wind power owners of influencing their biologists and keep statistics of bird and bat wildlife deaths confidential. This, in turn, makes the information immune from Freedom of Information requests.

As the article points out, back in November that Pacificorp based in Portland, Oregon asked a federal judge to block the release of the company’s bird-mortality statistics to the Associated Press. The American Bird Conservancy outlined a list of reforms it asked the US Forest and Wildlife Service to enact. However, the agency states it has no authority to force companies to turn over bird and bat mortality figures.

While predators and even buildings can kill winged species, renewables will eventually go by the wayside not only when the money for them is put on the chopping block (like what is happening in Europe and states like Wisconsin) but also for the threat they pose to bird species, including the ones deemed endangered. The stage is set for an environmentalist group to file a lawsuit against wind turbine farms down the line. This website has provided numerous examples of endangered species laws being used by green NIMBYs to prevent construction of light rail lines, freeway construction and even county parks. Not only does wind power not effective at providing for our energy needs, it will almost certainly end up in gang green’s crosshairs. In the meantime, marvel at the dead silence of groups like PETA who make not a peep for the deaths of birds due to spinning wind turbine blades.