Exxon Fined $600K For Killing Birds

[code1211]

Birds killed by Exxon produce fines for Exxon. In one case, $600,000 for 85 birds. Birds killed by coal generated electical lines produce fines.

Birds killed by the propeller fins of the wind turbines in California kill thousands of birds each year and not a single dollar of fines have been levied.

Did these birds have it coming? Were they asking for it?

What gives?

 

[manifold]

It's a proverbial drop in Exxon's subsidy lined profit. Nothing but a PR move to make it appear as if Exxon is actually subject to legitimate government oversight.

 

[Mr. H.]

It's a proverbial drop in Exxon's subsidy lined profit. Nothing but a PR move to make it appear as if Exxon is actually subject to legitimate government oversight.

Could you please compare and contrast "subdidies" as they might exist for both Exxon and wind generation companies?

Thanking you in advance, I remain sincerely yours...

Mr. H.

 

[Douger]

I call bullshit. I live within 1/2 mile of a huge wind farm and ride my horse up there almost daily.I also run this circus with a personal turbine( Skystream). I have NEVER encountered a dead bird.
I can assure you there is a shitload more bird traffic around here than anywhere in The Empire.

 

[manifold]

It's a proverbial drop in Exxon's subsidy lined profit. Nothing but a PR move to make it appear as if Exxon is actually subject to legitimate government oversight.

Could you please compare and contrast "subdidies" as they might exist for both Exxon and wind generation companies?

Thanking you in advance, I remain sincerely yours...

Mr. H.

Non sequitur post is funny.

 

[code1211]

I call bullshit. I live within 1/2 mile of a huge wind farm and ride my horse up there almost daily.I also run this circus with a personal turbine( Skystream). I have NEVER encountered a dead bird.
I can assure you there is a shitload more bird traffic around here than anywhere in The Empire.

Case in point: In the Bay Area, when activists in the 1980s demanded a cleaner planet, the state responded with the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area. The state-approved wind farm, built with federal tax credits, kills 4,700 birds annually, including 1,300 raptors, among them 70 golden eagles, according to biological reports generated on behalf of the owners.



Read more: Energy In America: Dead Birds Unintended Consequence Of Wind Power Development | FoxNews.com

 

[waltky]

Blowin' inna wind...

Energy Secretary OKs $43 Million to Study Offshore Wind Power
September 13, 2011 - – The Department of Energy is committing $43 million for research and development as part of what Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced calls “a coordinated federal strategy to put the nation’s wind power to work.”

In a press release last week the department said the money would be “investments” in more than 160 universities, labs and businesses in 20 states. It would also provide developers, manufacturers, academics and researchers “opportunities to explore market growth in offshore wind, technology innovation and modeling for the design of the next generation turbines.”

Award recipients include:

Alliance for Sustainable Energy

This project will improve computer-aided-engineering tools to design and assess a wide range of floating offshore wind platform concepts.

Alliance for Sustainable Energy (Golden, Colo.) $1,200,000

This project will produce an offshore wind farm simulation tool to improve designs by maximizing energy capture and minimizing structural fatigue from wave and wind impacts.

The Pennsylvania State University (University Park, Penn.) $1,200,000

This project will develop a computer model “Cyber Wind Facility” to generate data over an entire wind turbine farm both on and offshore simulating wind and wave impacts on wind turbine structures.

Regents of the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.) $1,200,000

This project will develop a computational framework to simulate wave and wind interactions with offshore wind farm designs.

Alliance for Sustainable Energy (Golden, Colo.) $400,000

This project will develop software to simulate offshore conditions including wind and waves associated with extreme events, such as hurricanes, to help design more robust offshore wind turbines.

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[Zander]

More Crony Capitalism. Government picks and chooses winners and losers.

 

[waltky]

The canaries are dyin' in the mine folks...

1,942 Dead Birds Found In Nevada
Oct. 7, 2011 | More than 1,900 birds dead from avian botulism near Stillwater

Nearly 2,000 ducks and other birds are dead from avian botulism in one of Nevada’s more significant outbreaks of the disease. Mallards, green-wing teals, redhead ducks and other birds including American avocets and white-faced ibis began dying at a private lake about 20 miles southwest of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 30. The number of bacteria-killed birds has been on a steady rise ever since and could make 2011 one of the 10 worst years for botulism outbreaks since state records started in 1949. “It’s starting to get a bit out of control,” said Russell Woolstenhulme, a migratory game bird specialist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The die-off is occurring at Six Man Club, a private hunting lake near Carson Lake south of Fallon. On Wednesday, crews working by air boat fished 398 dead birds out of the water and on Thursday, another 344, Woolstenhulme said. As of Friday, 1,942 birds have died. The outbreak has not spread to Carson Lake or Stillwater, though birds frequently fly between the three water bodies. An abundance of fresh water in Stillwater and Carson Lake could help prevent the problem from occurring there, experts said. “It’s pretty much contained. It’s the water itself that has it,” said Susan Sawyer, Stillwater’s visitor services manager.

Avian botulism, which poses no threat to humans, becomes prevalent in water bodies with low oxygen levels typically associated with decaying vegetation. Birds catch the disease primarily by munching maggots present in already-dead birds. Birds sick with botulism typically become listless, lose muscle control and, unable to hold their heads up, drown. Biologists had hoped the recent spate of cold weather would help control the problem, but it appears not to have helped. Instead, Woolstenhulme said, “it seems to be building up in intensity.” By removing dead birds from the water, biologists hope to end the outbreak soon.

“Once the maggot cycle is broken, that goes a long way toward stopping it,” Woolstenhulme said. “You can really slow it down.” Between 30 and 60 birds sick with botulism are being pulled from the water daily and taken to a “duck hospital” at the Stillwater refuge. There, in concrete ponds full of fresh water, most recover, Woolstenhulme said. Woolstenhulme does not expect the botulism outbreak to pose any real serious threat to the overall bird population — now at a peak with the arrival of migratory birds — nor the waterfowl hunting season that starts Oct. 15.

Source

 

[Mr. H.]

So, whoever owns that private lake should be held accountable.

 

[waltky]

Think mebbe it might be connected to the oil residue from the Exxon Valdez spill?...

Mysterious disease kills scores of seals in Alaska
10/13/2011 - Hair loss, lesions afflicts species seldom seen on shore in the Arctic

A mysterious disease, possibly a virus, has afflicted ringed seals along Alaska's coast, killing scores of them since July, local and federal agencies said on Thursday. The diseased seals have been beaching themselves on the Arctic coastline since July, with numbers picking up in subsequent months, biologists with the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management and other agencies said. About 100 of the diseased animals have been found near Barrow, the nation's northernmost community, and half of those have died, the borough biologists reported.

Elsewhere in the sprawling borough, villagers have reported 146 ringed seals hauling themselves onto beaches, and many of those were diseased, the biologists said. Ringed seals rarely come ashore in normal circumstances, spending most of the year in the water or on floating ice, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service. Biologists said they believe the illness was caused by a virus. Symptoms include sometimes-bleeding lesions on the hind flippers, irritated skin around the nose and eyes and patchy hair loss on the animals' fur coats.

They said the mystery outbreak may not be limited to ringed seals. Some dead walruses at Point Hope, a village on Alaska's northwest coast, were found with similar lesions, borough biologists said. Local hunters also reported finding skin lesions on two bearded seals, the biologists said. Yet identification of the disease remains elusive, and it was not clear that the lesions found on the walruses were from the same disease that has afflicted the ringed seals, said Bruce Woods, spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We're kind of in the dark at this point," he said.

The remote locations and other logistical challenges make it impossible to provide veterinary care to beached animals that are sick, said Jason Herreman, a borough biologist. "Seals that are found dead are collected for sampling. Seals that are sick but alive are being left to recover on their own," he said in an e-mail. Samples were being sent to various laboratories in Anchorage and elsewhere, he said. Ringed seals, bearded seals and Pacific walruses are all dependent on floating summer sea ice and suffering the impacts of rapid warming in the Arctic, according to federal agencies. NOAA has proposed listing Alaska's ringed seals and bearded seals as threatened, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has also designated the Pacific walrus as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protections.

Mysterious disease kills scores of seals in Alaska - US news - Environment - msnbc.com

 

[code1211]

Think mebbe it might be connected to the oil residue from the Exxon Valdez spill?...
Mysterious disease kills scores of seals in Alaska
10/13/2011 - Hair loss, lesions afflicts species seldom seen on shore in the Arctic

A mysterious disease, possibly a virus, has afflicted ringed seals along Alaska's coast, killing scores of them since July, local and federal agencies said on Thursday. The diseased seals have been beaching themselves on the Arctic coastline since July, with numbers picking up in subsequent months, biologists with the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management and other agencies said. About 100 of the diseased animals have been found near Barrow, the nation's northernmost community, and half of those have died, the borough biologists reported.

Elsewhere in the sprawling borough, villagers have reported 146 ringed seals hauling themselves onto beaches, and many of those were diseased, the biologists said. Ringed seals rarely come ashore in normal circumstances, spending most of the year in the water or on floating ice, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service. Biologists said they believe the illness was caused by a virus. Symptoms include sometimes-bleeding lesions on the hind flippers, irritated skin around the nose and eyes and patchy hair loss on the animals' fur coats.

They said the mystery outbreak may not be limited to ringed seals. Some dead walruses at Point Hope, a village on Alaska's northwest coast, were found with similar lesions, borough biologists said. Local hunters also reported finding skin lesions on two bearded seals, the biologists said. Yet identification of the disease remains elusive, and it was not clear that the lesions found on the walruses were from the same disease that has afflicted the ringed seals, said Bruce Woods, spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We're kind of in the dark at this point," he said.

The remote locations and other logistical challenges make it impossible to provide veterinary care to beached animals that are sick, said Jason Herreman, a borough biologist. "Seals that are found dead are collected for sampling. Seals that are sick but alive are being left to recover on their own," he said in an e-mail. Samples were being sent to various laboratories in Anchorage and elsewhere, he said. Ringed seals, bearded seals and Pacific walruses are all dependent on floating summer sea ice and suffering the impacts of rapid warming in the Arctic, according to federal agencies. NOAA has proposed listing Alaska's ringed seals and bearded seals as threatened, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has also designated the Pacific walrus as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protections.

Mysterious disease kills scores of seals in Alaska - US news - Environment - msnbc.com

The oil spill was on the southeast corner of Alaska and Point Hope is on the Northwest corner of Alaska. I would think that if the oil spill was the cause, these animals might be washing up on the South Coast of alaska rather than the North Coast.

Additionally, that spill was in 1989. You're asking if something that happened 25 years ago and about a thousand miles away is causing something else that happened today.

This right in step with the CO2/Global Warming connection of causality. I don't like two things that are unrelated, but if I connnect them, who knows what might happen?

Point Hope, Alaska - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Point Hope, Alaska - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[uscitizen]

Do we have a link for what the OP is talking about?

 

[Jackson]

So, Exxon was fined 600K for killing birds, how much was it fined for hiring illegals that helped destabilize our country?

 

[freedombecki]

Birds killed by Exxon produce fines for Exxon. In one case, $600,000 for 85 birds. Birds killed by coal generated electical lines produce fines.

Birds killed by the propeller fins of the wind turbines in California kill thousands of birds each year and not a single dollar of fines have been levied.

Did these birds have it coming? Were they asking for it?

What gives?

It doesn't matter what gives. Nancy Pelosi takes.

 

[waltky]

Makin' wind turbines cost more so's renewable energy is more expensive...

U.S. to Probe Imports of Wind Towers from China, Vietnam
January 19, 2012 - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday it was launching an investigation that could lead to steep import duties on more than $100 million worth of wind energy towers from China and Vietnam.

The decision adds to the friction in clean energy trade between the world's two largest economies. The department said it was also launching a separate probe into allegations of unfairly priced steel wire garment hangers from Vietnam and Taiwan. The Commerce Department is already investigating charges that Chinese solar panel manufacturers engage in unfair trade practices and will issue a preliminary decision on duties next month.

The Wind Tower Trade Coalition, a group of U.S. producers, is asking for anti-dumping duties of 64 percent on imports from China and 59 percent from Vietnam. They also want additional countervailing duties on imports from China to offset alleged government subsidies. A separate U.S. government agency, the International Trade Commission, held a hearing on Thursday to probe whether U.S companies have been materially harmed or threatened by the imports. The ITC has the final word on whether any U.S. duties are imposed.

Kerry Cole, president of Trinity Structural Towers, told the panel that domestic producers suffered a severe blow when none of their towers was selected for the 338-tower Shepherds Flat project in eastern Oregon, which is due to be completed next year and is billed as the world's largest wind farm. "All of it went to China ... This lone lost sale had ripple effects throughout the industry ... After losing this sale, domestic producers were desperate to fill their order books," putting them under tremendous pressure to cut prices, Cole said.

Source

 

[waltky]

Now if they would couple that with tidal energy, maybe we'd get weaned off coal and foreign oil supplies...

U.S. gives green light to offshore wind farms
February 2, 2012 - No major impact found in plans for turbines off Mid-Atlantic coast

Lighting Maryland homes with power from giant turbines off Ocean City moved closer to reality Thursday as federal officials announced they are ready to go forward with leasing vast areas along the Mid-Atlantic coast for wind farms. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said at a news conference at Baltimore's Inner Harbor that his staff found that no significant impact to the environment, shipping or other activities would result from letting developers start studies and plans for harnessing ocean winds from New Jersey to Virginia.

Salazar, who had pledged more than a year ago to streamline the regulatory process for putting turbines offshore, said his Bureau of Ocean Energy Management would start soliciting bids for leasing up to 80,000 acres off Maryland. Eight companies or partnerships had expressed interest in 2010. "This is not going to be something that's going to be waiting around for multiple years," Salazar said. "We'll have those leases issued by the end of 2012."

But it is likely to be at least five years before construction begins, industry officials and supporters said, if the projects costing billions of dollars clear all of the regulatory, political and economic hurdles that lie ahead. The federal government's favorable environmental review shortened the red tape by as much as two years, they said, since a more detailed study is not needed now. After developers sign leases with the federal government, they will be allowed to put buoys and towers offshore to measure winds and take readings needed to plan and design their projects. Before starting construction, they will have to perform detailed studies of the potential impact of the turbines on fish, birds, bats, shipping and other activities. The studies could take two years.

The area off Maryland's coast would stretch from 10 nautical miles off Ocean City to 27 nautical miles out to sea. A nautical mile is about 6,076 feet compared with a mile on land of 5,280 feet. Gov. Martin O'Malley, who was on hand, called the announcement a "very positive step forward." He is counting on offshore wind to help meet Maryland's goal of obtaining 20 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2022. "The energy is there," the governor said. "We need the energy. ... We need the jobs, and we need a more renewable, cleaner, greener future for our kids."

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