The wind energy industry - putting renewable energy above treasured wildlife - is seeking America’s first ever permit to kill golden eagles.

The Shiloh IV Wind Project, a large Solano County, Calif., wind farm, would be allowed to kill five golden eagles a year for five years under a draft plan released Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

If the plan is approved, the farm would make history as the first renewable energy project afforded a permit to kill eagles, the Chronicle reported.

A 2008 study funded by the Alameda County Community Development Agency estimated that 10,000 birds, mostly protected species, are killed every year at a single wind farm in Altamont Pass, Calif, according to Fox News.

The Audubon Society and other organizations have been pushing for stronger regulations....

“A violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act can result in a fine of $100,000 ($200,000 for organizations), imprisonment for one year, or both, for a first offense. Penalties increase substantially for additional offenses, and a second violation of this Act is a felony,” according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

But with the involvement of the Department of Justice and its leftist ways, would this majestic raptor ever receive justice? Or would Eric Holder consider such a pursuit “for the birds”?

Read the article in its entirety at: 


The mindless EPA has taken us back to 1970.

When private enterprise built the first railroad in China in the 19th century, the Chinese mandarinate sent out work crews to tear up the tracks.

So things went in the Middle Kingdom for approximately 1500 years. Emperors and dynasties came and went but the day-to-day affairs were administered by a self-perpetuating class of intellectuals intent on stopping anything that might resemble economic progress.

It might be worth studying a little Chinese history these days because American affairs are now being run by a Washington mandarinate that dances to its own tune and has very fixed ideas of what the world should be like — namely that industrial activity is something toward which we should be very suspicious if not downright hostile.

The latest directive from this mandarinate is the Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulatory rulemaking on coal plants. Now I know that the EPA hates coal and is doing everything it can to wipe it off the face of the earth. That much is given. What is remarkable is how the agency’s latest salvo erases all the progress that has been made in improving government regulations over the last thirty years.....

That no one will build new plants with carbon capture-and-storage is assured because the technology is still completely hypothetical. There has never been a full-fledged CCS coal plant built anywhere in the world and there have been several notable failures.....

Read the entire article at:

http://spectator.org/archives/2013/09/27/federal-mandarinate-decrees-en

Wind Energy: Chalk It Up as a Loss  
 
 
"Isn't it about time that we looked at all the evidence cumulatively? Isn't it about time that we just chalked it up as a loss and tried something else?"

Another week, another plethora of news reports attacking wind farms...

In the last year alone we have seen news reports outlining how wind farms have surrounded some of Britain's most untouched landscape and blighted some of our most bucolic and treasured towns and villages. We have heard horror stories about planning departments ignoring guidelines and forcing homeowners to live next to monstrous whirling steel turbines. We have been warned that property values have plummeted due to the inappropriate placement of wind farms and we have seen hundreds of anti-wind protest groups spring up across the nation, incensed at the lack of democracy in the planning system.

We have read how turbines impact human health and after years of mockery from pro-wind groups, we now have the first peer-reviewed, science-based report confirming that turbines do have harmful impacts on humans.

We have watched videos of turbines exploding in high winds and crashing to the ground in storms. We have witnessed precious habitats and ecosystems torn apart to make way for turbines and we have seen stories about birds being chopped to bits. We have heard how offshore wind farms will destroy precious undersea carbon stores, affect aquatic animals and close important fishing grounds....

We have read that schoolchildren are being utilised as pro-wind propaganda tools and we have even seen how the United Nations has ruled that the UK is in breach of international law regarding public participation and the right to receive information in regard to wind farm developments. In the last few weeks, we have heard how IPCC climate change projections, which formed the basis for renewable energy targets, have been called into question by leading scientists.

We have watched as turbines have had to be shut down in high winds and how consumers foot the bill when they are. We have seen their minimal contribution the UK energy supply, even when they are needed most. We have been affected when energy bills have skyrocketed thanks in part to a misguided focus on wind energy. Unfortunately we have also heard how millions of households have been forced into crippling fuel poverty, now having to choose between food and fuel.

We have read about noise abatement orders and residents' legal challenges. We have seen some communities torn apart by wind farm proposals and others handed bribes in return for their silence. We have read how landowners pocket exorbitant amounts of cash in return for housing turbines and we have seen developers reap vast profits from the UK's subsidy regime. We have heard how peat bogs have been ripped up and forests torn down to make way for wind farms. We are now being told that wind energy has not made even the slightest difference to carbon emissions.

We have even seen those who peddle ridiculous pro-wind arguments about green jobs debunked and refuted. There is enough credible evidence and enough of an opposition to end a policy of support for industrial wind energy. Yet still we see wind farms popping up all around the country.

Isn't it about time that we looked at all the evidence cumulatively? Isn't it about time that we just chalked it up as a loss and tried something else?


Read the article in its entirety at: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ben-acheson/wind-energy-chalk-it-up-a_b_3974632.html

God, Rush [Limbaugh], and Global Warming

by E. Calvin Beisner

"The Bible teaches that earth and all its subsystems-including the climate system - are the product of a God who is an infinitely wise Designer, an infinitely powerful Creator, and an infinitely faithful Sustainer.  It teaches that when God finished creating the earth and everything in it, He declared it "very good" (Genesis 1:31); that He created it by His infinitely powerful word (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24; John 1:1–3); and that He sustains it "by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3).

Now I ask you, does an infinitely wise designer plan something to be so fragile that a proportionately tiny stress will cause it to collapse?  Does a good architect, for instance, design a building so that if you lean against a wall, the rest of the building reacts by magnifying the stress of your weight until the building collapses?

But that's what's assumed in the theory of catastrophic, anthropogenic (manmade) global warming (CAGW): that a proportionately tiny stress can cause catastrophic consequences. The theory is that CO2's rising from 27 thousandths of 1 percent to 54 thousandths of 1 percent of the atmosphere - which itself is a relatively tiny part of the entire climate system, which includes the oceans, land masses, all living things, and even energy from the sun and cosmic rays from stars in distant galaxies - will raise earth's temperature so much as to threaten catastrophic harm to human and other life.

Such a result would come only from a design that made positive feedbacks vastly outweigh negative feedbacks. In other words, it would make the rest of the climate system magnify rather than offset the warming effect of CO2. Yet natural systems are dominated by negative rather than positive feedbacks - otherwise they'd all have collapsed long ago.

So God's wisdom in designing earth's climate system is hard to reconcile with belief in CAGW.

Likewise, belief in CAGW is difficult to reconcile with belief in God's power and faithfulness."

See the entire article at: http://www.christianpost.com/news/god-rush-and-global-warming-104798/

New York State Wind Wars - Hiding the Facts (PTC Allows Invenergy to Desecrate)

The last minute extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC - aka: “Pork To Cronies”) within the December 31, 2012 fiscal cliff deal was good news for Big Wind corporate welfare profiteers, like Michael Polsky's Invenergy.  It was very bad news for rural/residential Towns being targeted by industrial wind developers here in New York State, and across the nation.

Despite the fact that the Wyoming County, NY Town of Orangeville’s conflicted Town Board approved Invenergy’s “Stony Creek” project in the Fall of 2012, Invenergy admitted they would not be going ahead with the project unless the PTC was extended - highlighting the fact that the only thing Invenergy is interested in ‘harvesting’ is taxpayers’ money.  
Once Crony-Corruptocrats in DC extended the PTC in that midnight fiscal cliff deal, the once-beautiful rolling hills of the Town of Orangeville were doomed.  As Michael Polsky enjoys his new mansion, many Orangeville residents are helplessly looking on in disgust as Invenergy turns their entire Town into a sprawling industrial wind factory -- rendering their homes virtually worthless -- all thanks to the legalized thievery of their own tax dollars for The Wind Farm Scam.
As Big Wind CEO, Patrick Jenevein candidly pointed out in his WSJ op-ed, “Wind power subsidies? No Thanks” and follow-up TV interview, Wind farms are increasingly being built in less-windy locations” because the wind industry is focused on reaping the lucrative taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies, rather than on providing an efficient, affordable product. 

Nowhere is this proving to be more true than right here in New York State. Orangeville borders the Town of Attica here in Western New York State – a town that ‘First Wind LLC’ pulled out of a number of years ago after admitting that the Attica area “was not a good wind area.”  Seems Jenevein knew exactly what he was talking about

Economics 101

According to NYISO’s Goldbook, New York State’s installed wind factories averaged a pathetic 23.5% Capacity Factor in 2012.  New York State wind factories are not generating enough electricity to even pay for themselves over their short life spans.

Renowned energy analyst, Glenn Schleede, examined the data on New York State's wind factories, and found that ONE 450 MW Combined Cycle Generating Unit located at New York City (where the power is needed in New York State), would provide more power than all of New York State's wind farms combined, at 1/4 of the capital costs -- and would have significantly reduced CO2 emissions and created far more jobs than all those wind farms – without the added costs of all the transmission lines to New York City.

It's no wonder New York has earned the dubious distinction of having the highest electricity rates in the continental United States - 17.69 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) – a whopping 53% above the national average.  A New York resident using 6,500 kWh of electricity annually will pay about $400 per year more per year for his or her electricity than if New York’s electricity prices were at the national average.....

Continue reading here:
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/09/new-york-wind-wars/

New York State is America's Biggest Loser - People are voting with their feet! Research indicates that $7100 is leaving New York State every 60 seconds.

Selling rural NY out to The Wind Farm Scam -- and the resulting "necessarily skyrocketing electricity rates" it creates -- is a HUGE part of why people are leaving!    
  
HowMoneyWalks.com  (Check your state to see how it's doing)
 
See more at:  How Money Walks

BP dropping wind power, selling farms

A company spokesman said the decision is part of a continuing effort "to become a more focused oil and gas company ... and to unlock more value for shareholders." The sale reflects the complicated relationship between the major oil companies and renewable energy over the past decade, even as wind and solar energy slowly gained market share. While oil and gas may yield more profit, he said ...

Source



Remember, earlier this year, when the Obama administration was transforming each and every sequestration budget cut into some nightmarishly dire prediction about how each and every major department wouldn’t be able to perform the full extent of their absolutely and irrevocably essential duties? It would seem that, even as there are Defense Department employees being furloughed and Secretary Hagel warns of more layoffs and our military slims down on equipment, training programs, and etcetera, the Pentagon evidently continues to prioritize the forceful implementation of so-called “green” and “renewable” sources into their energy repertoire.

Via Reuters:

The U.S. Army has picked 17 companies that will be eligible to receive orders for wind energy under an umbrella contract valued at up to $7 billion, the Pentagon said on Monday….



“The wind industry is hiding over 90% of the bird and bat mortality caused by their turbines. This statement is supported by the industry’s own data and reasonable adjustments for its manipulations.” 

“The wind industry is … producing faulty, misleading and even fraudulent documents to hide the serious and growing mortality. This situation has continued for years but has been shielded by state and federal agencies and other supporters of wind power.”


September 2, 2013
 
New York’s Ongoing Wind Energy Mistakes
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) provides on its web site[1] many claims about the great progress and benefits achieved by promoting and subsidizing wind energy in the state – an initiative kicked off by former Governor Pataki and followed slavishly by each succeeding administration and legislature.
 
Unfortunately, like other promoters of wind energy, the DEC article tells less than half the true story about very high cost, low value electricity from wind energy and ignores completely its adverse environmental, economic, electric system reliability impacts, and its damaging impact on ordinary citizens, taxpayers, and electricity users in New York.
 
For example, the DEC article doesn't mention (a) incessant noise from wind turbine, (b) birds and bats killed by the huge machines, (c) the destruction of landscape, natural resources, scenic vistas, and animal habitat during construction and thereafter, or (d) the damage to property values and quality of life of those unfortunate enough to live near “wind farms.”
 
Neither does the DEC mention the high cost and low value of electricity from wind turbines.  The low true value of electricity from wind turbines is due to their intermittent, volatile, and unreliable output and their tendency to produce electricity primarily at night in cold and shoulder months when electricity is least needed, rather than on hot summer weekday late afternoons when demand is high.
 
Looking beyond the misleading DEC article, the fact that political leaders continue to push wind energy is particularly difficult to understand when looking at the following facts:
 
1.      New York’s first 15 “wind farms” completed before the end of 2010 have a total rated (or nameplate) capacity of 1,273.9 megawatts (MW).  During 2012 these 15 “wind farms” produced 2,321,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity. [2]  Assuming very conservative capital cost numbers, the capital cost of these 15 “wind farms” in NY was probably around $2 billion.

The predominate demand for electricity in New York state is in the New York City (NTC) area. However, NY’s “wind farms” are located in upstate and western New York so the output from these “wind farms” must be transmitted to the NYC area, adding to the cost of the electricity and adding environmental damage when additional transmission capacity must be provided.

2.      Now consider a logical alternative:  A single 450 MW gas-fired combined cycle generating unit (or two 225 MW units) located near NYC, operating at only a 60% capacity factor, could have supplied just as much electricity — actually 2,365,200 MWh[3]  – with about one fourth of the capital cost and with less overall cost to consumers and taxpayers when fuel and O&M costs are added.

Furthermore, the gas-fired generating units would be reliable and dispatchable and thus available when needed, including times of peak electricity demand. Electricity is available from wind turbines only when wind speeds are in the “right” range.[4] They are highly unlikely to produce much electricity during times of peak demand, so they have little or no “capacity value.”

Also, there would be no need to add transmission capacity to bring wind-generated electricity to the NYC area from upstate and western NY.  Finally, a factor that should be important to political leaders:  a gas-fired generating unit would provide many more long lasting jobs than  “wind farms.”
 
The apparent low regard that NY political leaders have for the people and organizations dependent on electricity is illustrated by the extremely high electric bills that result from the state’s policies.  The average electricity price for residential customers in New York in 2012 was 17.69 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while the nationwide average in 2012 was 11.88 cents per kWh.[5]  
 
Therefore, New York’s average residential electricity prices are 53% above the national average.  A New York resident using 6,500 kWh of electricity per year will pay about $400 per year more for his or her electricity than if New York’s electricity prices were at the national average.  (Only Alaska, with 17.84 cents per kWh and Hawaii with 37.27 cents per kWh had higher prices.)  Consider the job and other local economic benefits if New York had allowed its approximately 8,000,000 residential electric customers to spend $400 per year – that would be $3.2 billion -- in their local economies.  
 
Unfortunately, the New York States’ Department of Environmental Conservation web site article cited earlier is but one example of the way that government officials and employees now use tax dollars to distribute false and misleading information that protects and promotes bad policies, helps special interest groups such as the wind industry, and/or promotes their personal preferences.
 
Glenn R. Schleede (former western New Yorker)
20647 Golden Ridge Drive
Ashburn, VA 20147

The Goodhue project made national news because it was going to be built in a major bald eagle migration and nesting area near the Mississippi River, and was an important golden eagle migration and wintering location.  The man being investigated is the former head of Noble Power (Energy) whose activities were looked at by the NY Attorney General several years ago (but who did nothing).  The article depicts how the wind companies change names in quick succession.

Troubled wind project target of FBI scrutiny, industry criticism

Credit:  Brett Boese | August 31, 2013 | www.postbulletin.com ~~

ZUMBROTA — The New Era wind project appears likely to have its state-issued permits revoked this fall after missing two deadlines that required it to either begin construction or surrender its permits by Aug. 23, according to a Minnesota Public Utilities spokesperson.

That course of action could finally close the book on what’s been the most controversial wind project in state history.

The 78-megawatt project was first proposed in 2008 by National Wind. During the past five years, five lawsuits have been filed, ownership has changed hands twice, fines have been levied for illegal lobbying and — in the most recent development — the Federal Bureau of Investigation apparently has conducted interviews as part of a potential fraud investigation.

Four local critics of the $180 million wind project, representing opposition groups Goodhue Wind Truth and the Coalition for Sensible Siting, say they spent a January morning in St. Paul detailing their concerns to two FBI investigators. Developers have spent more than $15 million seeking state permits, according to a filing at the PUC, while local opposition has spent six figures in the protracted legal battle.

“(The FBI is) always interested to hear from citizens,” said Marie McNamara, a Goodhue farmer who co-founded Goodhue Wind Truth. “I remember them saying they were hearing concerns from other citizens across Minnesota (about the wind industry). Overall, we were concerned about a lot of shenanigans. We were concerned about the investments and money being lost by local people.”
 
Read the rest of the article at:  


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