Stop the massive death trap that sets birds on fire in the California desert!

  • by: Carol Willette
  • recipient: Senators Boxer and Feinstein; Governor Brown; USFWS; Google (part owner)

A giant "solar-thermal" power plant in the desert is incinerating an average of one bird every two minutes. According to Earthweek.com:

"Many thousands of birds are said to have caught fire in midair above a massive solar-thermal power plant near the California-Nevada border since it began operating in February.

Workers at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System call the dying birds “streamers,” because of the trail of smoke they leave behind after igniting.

Federal investigators say they counted an average of one bird catching fire every two minutes during their survey.

The $2.2 billion plant consists of three towers surrounded by an array of more than 300,000 mirrors, which some pilots say nearly blinded them as they flew past."

Why is this being allowed?!  Even federal wildlife officials are calling this plant a "mega trap."  I find it incredible that they didn't stop it from being built!  It has to stop operating IMMEDIATELY.  They are killing everything from Pelicans to hummingbirds.  

Here's a link to an Associated Press story:  http://bigstory.ap.org/article/emerging-solar-plants-scorch-birds-mid-air

To Those It Concerns:


The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a huge death trap for birds that opened in February 2014 in the California desert near the border with Nevada.  300,000 mirrors reflect the sun, concentrating it and generating temperatures up to 1,000 degrees. A wide range of species, from pelicans to hummingbirds, is attracted to the area and when they pass through the high-powered beams they ignite and fall to the ground. Once again, wildlife is being sacrificed needlessly to further the aims of man.  One government assessment says the plant is incinerating birds at an average of one every two minutes.  http://www.earthweek.com


This is why we have regulatory agencies and environmental impact reports!  I don't know if no one cared or money spoke loudest when this was built.  But it's very simple:  A power plant that has to kill any birds that fly past it is an unacceptable power plant.  I understand that Google is a part owner of the plant and it's being touted falsely as "green" energy. These companies want to build another, even bigger plant that is in a migratory flyway.  They must find a better way that does not involve luring birds to their fiery deaths.


It's immoral, inhumane and unconscionable, and it must stop immediately.  Please take the appropriate steps as soon as possible to halt this criminal slaughter.

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