PacifiCorp settles in bird electrocutions
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) ? A utility on Friday agreed to a more than $10 million settlement following the electrocution of dozens of eagles, hawks, owls and other birds in Wyoming.
PacifiCorp pleaded guilty to 34 violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Shickich in Casper ordered the utility to pay a $510,000 fine and $900,000 in restitution.
Shickich also ordered Portland, Ore.-based PacifiCorp to spend at least $9.1 million to retrofit utility poles to make them less dangerous to birds, especially large raptors.
The utility has acknowledged killing 232 eagles since January 2007. Most of the deaths occurred in open expanses where utility poles provided the highest perches for raptors to watch for prey.
MEAD GRUVER, Associated Press Writer
10 July 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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