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Interior Proposes $14,536 Fine After University of Minnesota Research Turbine Kills Bald Eagle

Federal wildlife officials urged the university to reassess eagle risks, recommending an incidental take permit.

Overview

  • The Department of the Interior issued a notice of violation under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act tied to the Eolos field station in Dakota County.
  • Photos and technician records described the eagle being struck by the turbine, with additional remains recovered more than a month later.
  • The January notice does not indicate the university has an incidental take permit, and a spokesperson said the case is under review.
  • The turbine was built with a $7.9 million Department of Energy grant awarded in 2010 for the university’s wind research program.
  • The action follows recent enforcement that included $32,340 in finalized fines for two eagle deaths at Ørsted wind farms in Nebraska and Illinois.