The Tradeoff Between Wildlife Conservation and Renewable Energy

Abstract

This paper estimates the effect of wildlife protection on wind energy development in the central United States. Federal enforcement of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act increased after a court decision in 2013, raising potential liability for wind developers in regions where eagles are common. We find that counties where eagles are common slowed their wind energy development after 2013 relative to counties with fewer eagles. The costs of forgone wind energy appear considerably greater than the quantifiable benefits from avoided eagle fatalities, suggesting that current policy overvalues wildlife protection relative to green energy.