Wind power plan will hurt iconic species

THE JOURNAL’S Nov. 20 editorial urging Public Regulation Commission approval of Xcel Energy’s wind power proposal for eastern New Mexico makes no mention of the danger this project will pose to the Lesser PrairieChicken. Why should we care? Because this iconic species is an irreplaceable remnant of our western heritage, and it is in deep trouble.

A few years ago, wildlife professionals in New Mexico and adjacent states collaborated on a agreement to enlist the cooperation of local stakeholders in voluntary conservation measures for the Prairie-Chicken — an effort supported by Sen. Tom Udall. But as its numbers continued to decline, U.S. Fish and Wildlife listed the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, although it allowed state officials to continue managing habitat in cooperation with stakeholders. That listing was challenged in federal court and overturned. Even so, the fact of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken’s continuing struggle to achieve a stable population has not changed.

Central New Mexico Audubon Society does not oppose wind energy, but the location of this particular project makes it unacceptable. The proximity of hundreds of turbines will discourage nesting within the project area and adjacent lands, including protected areas managed by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the Nature Conservancy. The reproductive viability of these magnificent birds will be in jeopardy.

The Journal’s editorial conveys urgency for PRC approval, noting that the lucrative production tax credit (PTC) for wind-generated electricity is scheduled to be phased out by the end of 2019. But the history of this subsidy suggests that such fear may be unwarranted. When the PTC was introduced in 1992 it was scheduled to end by 1999, but Congress has extended it multiple times when it has lapsed. With its congressional protectors in office for the foreseeable future, it’s likely that fears of the PTC’s final demise are exaggerated. The PRC should not be pressured into approving Xcel’s massive project on a time scale to benefit its investors.

Let’s not give a green light to Xcel to industrialize the habitat where the Lesser PrairieChicken is making its last stand in New Mexico. BRUCE DALE Conservation Action chair, Central New Mexico Audubon Society Albuquerque