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Wind Power News: California
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Wind energy company pleads guilty to killing eagles
The wind energy company ESI Energy Inc. (ESI) must pay more than $8 million in fines and restitution and serve a five-year probation after pleading guilty to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to a statement released by the United States Department of Justice. In the U.S., ESI is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc., one of the largest providers of renewable energy, per Reuters’ Barbara Goldberg. The company deliberately elected not to apply for proper permits for “any . . . Complete story »
Ruling on eagle deaths divides wind power industry
The sentencing of a wind energy company this week in the deaths of at least 150 eagles has brought renewed focus to the complicated relationship between wind turbines and birds. A subsidiary of NextEra Energy, the world’s biggest generator of wind and solar power, pleaded guilty to three deaths of bald and golden eagles in Wyoming and New Mexico. It also acknowledged that more than 100 other eagles had been killed across 50 of its 54 wind farms, primarily during . . . Complete story »
Wind operator to pay $8M in pact over killing eagles
A leading wind farm operator has agreed to pay fines and other fees totaling just over $8 million, plus potentially spending millions of additional dollars, because its operations were linked to the deaths of at least 150 eagles over about a decade. Partly at issue was whether the energy producer should have applied for permits before its operations killed the birds, or if the business should have taken other actions. The legal case points up the fact that responsible wind . . . Complete story »
Energy company to pay up to $35 million after turbines killed eagles
An American wind energy company has admitted to killing at least 150 bald and golden eagles, most of which were fatally struck by wind turbine blades, federal prosecutors said. ESI Energy pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) after eagles died at three of its facilities in Wyoming and New Mexico, according to a statement from the Justice Department. The MBTA prohibits killing, capturing or transporting protected migratory bird species without a permit. . . . Complete story »
Coastal ommission says it’s cool to move forward with Humboldt Bay offshore wind project studies, approves bay trail permit
The California Coastal Commission removed a critical hurdle this Thursday to allow for further exploration of a proposed wind energy project just off of Humboldt County’s coast. In a unanimous decision, the commission voted to conditionally concur that a consistency determination brought forth by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for leasing activities associated with the proposed project adheres to the California Coastal Management Program. In essence, the wordy and convoluted decision allows BOEM to initiate talks with interested . . . Complete story »
Coastal Commission votes to move forward with Humboldt offshore wind exploration
The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously today to conditionally concur with a federal determination that allowing energy companies and organizations to study a proposed offshore wind farm area on the Humboldt County Coast is consistent with the California Coastal Management Program. The highly technical and bureaucratic vote clears the way for companies interested in purchasing federal leases to erect large, floating offshore wind turbines to generate renewable electricity off the coast to begin studying and assessing the project site. Known . . . Complete story »
California takes step toward first offshore wind farm on West Coast
The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to pave the way for the West Coast’s first offshore wind farm that if ultimately approved and built would occupy roughly 206 square miles of ocean about 20 miles west of the town of Eureka, Calif. “This is truly historic,” said commission chair Donne Brownsey just before the unanimous vote was taken. Not everyone agrees. Specifically, commercial fishermen said the waters off of Eureka are some of the most valuable on the entire West . . . Complete story »
US firm fined $8m after 150 eagles die at its wind farms
A US-based wind energy firm called ESI Energy, has been slapped with an $8m fine after at least 150 eagles died at its wind farms across eight states over the last 10 years. The company has also been given five years of probation. ESI Energy, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, has pleaded guilty to three counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The company acknowledged the deaths of golden and bald eagles since 2012 at its farms in Wyoming, . . . Complete story »
Windmill at Montezuma Hills wind farm catches fire
Firefighters got an uncommon call on Wednesday: a fire at a windmill. The Montezuma Fire Protection District – along with the Suisun Fire Protection District and River Delta Fire District – responded to the Montezuma Hills yesterday afternoon and found a windmill on fire. Units quickly put out some spot fires in the vegetation around the structure, but the windmill continued to burn. With the windmill not spinning, firefighters tried to call for an air drop – but no helicopter . . . Complete story »
Offshore wind energy on Central Coast closer after environmental assessment of site surveys
Another step forward was taken in the long process before offshore wind turbines may be seen floating in the Pacific Ocean off the Central Coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the federal agency overseeing the offshore wind activities in the Morro Bay wind energy area, released on Wednesday a draft environmental assessment analyzing the potential impacts site surveys may have. These site surveys include site assessments and site characterization. Site assessments would most likely include the temporary placement . . . Complete story »
