Streamers: Ivanpah Solar Farm Fries 6,000 Birds Yearly -- LA Times -- September 2, 2016

Updates

Later, 2:53 p.m. Central Time: when you read the following article and note Ivanpah is killing 6,000 birds yearly, remember the fines levied for singular ducks allegedly killed in the Bakken when the boom was just beginning. This is from The Twin Cities Pioneer Press, November 3, 2011. The article begins:

A Texas oil company will plead guilty and pay a $1,000 fine for killing a duck during drilling operations in western North Dakota, according to an agreement filed today.
Dallas-based Petro-Hunt LLC was charged under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for the death of a northern shoveler found May 6 in one of the company’s waste pits. Under the third such plea agreement filed in federal court, Petro-Hunt will pay the fine to the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Other data points from the same article:

• 7 oil companies charged
• 28 dead birds found in uncovered waste pits in May/June, 2011
• misdemeanors; max penalty: for each count -- 6 months in prison, $15,000 fine
• Slawson: plead guilty in October, 2011: killed 12 birds, $12,000 fine
• MDU/Fidelity: $1,500 fine for a solitary sandpiper found in one of the company's waste pits

President Obama gave blanket waiver to wind farms allowing 30 bald eagle kills/year for the next 30 years (that's not quite right, but when I find time, I will correct it).

But at least we know the going price for Daffy Duck in the North Dakota oil patch is about $1,000.
 

Original Post

 

CFC: California Fried Condors?

Ivanpah: another name for "bird sink."

Anyway, whatever, from The Los Angeles Times, the data points:

• streamers: the wisps of white smoke as crispy, fried birds fall to earth over Ivanpah Solar Plant
• along I-15 west of Las Vegas
• 390-MW plant owners tring to think of ways to stop the slaughter -- yes, that's the word used by The LA Times
• 6,000 birds fried or collide each each year 
• three 40-story towers -- about 4x higher than an oil rig; and permanent, unlike rigs which are very temporary

As one reads the story, it only gets worse.  

"Ivanpah continues to operate as though there is an endless supply of birds to burn."  -- Garry George, Audubon California.

And it's either worse than they say, or better than they say. But they have to study Ivanpah for another nine months. I guess if it's only 4,000 birds yearly, that would be better.

I track the Ivanpah links here.