Political Quotes

“The question we should ask ourselves is, should green energy companies be held liable for incidental deaths of birds of prey or migratory birds as a result of them flying into wind turbines or onto solar arrays. As you may know, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, while well-intentioned, are significantly outdated. Under current law, the accidental death of a protected bird is punishable as a misdemeanor; a second offense can be charged as a felony. This includes accidental deaths caused by wind turbines and solar panels. The MBTA covers over 1,000 different species of birds. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act were written to target the intentional killing of migratory birds and birds of prey. I don't think anybody believes that accidental deaths as a result of solar panels or wind energy production warrants felony prosecution. Every year, cars, trucks, skyscrapers, windmills, oil platforms, airplanes, and houses with big windows cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of these protected birds, doing things that are otherwise well within the law but that make drivers, pilots, property owners, and green energy companies potential felons under a strict interpretation of an outdated law. As you can imagine, the enforcement of this law is pretty spotty, with bureaucrats selectively enforcing these regulations, creating uncertainty in the green energy marketplace.…”