License to Kill Endangered Species

A group of wind power developers has requested the issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to cover a 200-mile-wide corridor from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Note that an incidental take permit allows “harassment, harm, pursuit, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capture, or collection of any threatened or endangered species.”

Species at risk in the corridor include whooping cranes, terns, piping plovers and lesser prairie chickens.

According to a government report, whooping cranes are at particular risk with the last remaining flock numbering a mere 247 birds.

The Obama administration is reportedly evaluating the ITP request. Since two left-leaning political interests (alternative energy advocates vs. animal advocates) are pitted against each other with the left-leaning Obama administration to decide, it's not clear which group has the advantage.

Public comment on the proposed ITP will be accepted until October 12.