PacifiCorp pleads guilty, will pay $2.5M for eagle and other bird deaths at Wyoming wind farms

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A utility will pay $2.5 million in fines, restitution and community service after pleading guilty to killing golden eagles and other birds at two Wyoming wind farms.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act violations stem from the deaths of 38 golden eagles and 336 other protected birds at PacifiCorp's Seven Mile Hill and Glenrock/Rolling Hills wind farms in east-central Wyoming.

The company entered the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Wyoming.

The Justice Department and Portland, Oregon-based PacifiCorp announced the agreement Dec. 19. Under the deal, the company agreed to pay fines as well as restitution and community service with a total value of $2.5 million.

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Gamekeeper found guilty of poisoning eleven birds of prey

A Norfolk gamekeeper was found guilty on 1st October 2014 for the poisoning of at least eleven birds, including 10 buzzards and one sparrowhawk. 

A sparrowhawk was among the birds

 found to have been poisoned

Allen Lambert, 65, previously a gamekeeper on Stody Estate near Holt, was also found guilty of the possession of pesticides and other items capable of being used to prepare poison baits. Earlier in the trial at Norwich Magistrates Court he had pleaded guilty to five other charges, including three offences of illegal storage and use of pesticides, and the unlawful possession of nine dead buzzards. 

Suspicion of the poisoning was raised when, on 4th April 2013, the remains of five buzzards, a sparrowhawk, and a tawny owl were found apparently dumped in a wood on Stody Estate. Analysis of the birds confirmed that cause of death in at least one buzzard and the sparrowhawk had been due to poisoning from the pesticide mevinphos, which is a former agricultural pesticide banned from use in 1993. 

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