5 days ago
Interior demands eagle data from wind developers
The Fish and Wildlife Service has begun to survey wind developers about potential harm to eagles as federal officials expand their efforts to stymie the renewable power sector.
The invocation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act to squeeze information from the wind industry worries some supporters who fear anything they say could be turned against them. It also raises questions about a permit system adopted only 14 months ago.
'The concern is that the administration might use the data it collects to serve a narrative against the industry and individual projects,' Benjamin Cowan, a partner at the Troutman Pepper Locke law firm whose clients include wind developers, said in an interview.
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The Trump administration could use the data to try to write a more restrictive rule for eagle permits or to shut down projects for perceived permit violations, he said. FWS is part of the Interior Department.
