Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (December 10, 2013) – On Monday, the Obama Administration published a rule in the Federal Register that gives wind farms an unlimited 30-year “take permit” to accidentally kill or injure bald and golden eagles. Congressman Steve Pearce, Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, responded to the rule with the following statement:

“Eagles should be cherished as an important symbol of American freedom and liberty,” said Chairman Pearce.“This new rule from the Fish and Wildlife Service encourages special treatment for wind farms at the expense of eagles everywhere. As one of the few success stories of the Endangered Species Act, we should not throw caution to the wind and allow for the careless destruction of our national bird. Instead, we should hold wind farms to the same high standards that every other industry is held to. Wind power is an important part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy, but allowing unlimited take permits for eagles is not necessary to encourage development of this resource.

“While our national bird is suffering at the hands of the federal government, other species are being protected at all costs- including devastating the industries trying to protect them. The lesser prairie-chicken is currently being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act, despite a five-state conservation plan that has even been endorsed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The dunes sagebrush lizard narrowly avoided an endangered listing last year, and it took years and a collapsing timber industry before the spotted owl was removed from the endangered species list after Fish and Wildlife Service admitted they made a mistake by listing it. If our country has decided that eagles are no longer a symbol of American independence that should be protected, then why such the fuss over a chicken, a lizard, and an owl?”