根據德州海岸棲地聯盟（Coastal Habitat Alliance）1月2日發表的科學研究，正在德州甘乃迪郡建造的兩個風力發電計畫，會對遷移性及常住當地的鳥類及蝙蝠造成威脅。這兩個都建造在私人農場土地上的風力發電計畫將會成為德州南部海岸第一批風力發電場。
這個聯盟表示，這個區域的德州海岸是北美最重要的鳥類遷移廊道區域之一，位於連繫加拿大美國與墨西哥及中南美洲廊道的位置。
澳洲金融集團柏克布朗公司（Babcock & Brown）及西班牙Iberdrola's Scottish Power 電力公司子公司PPM能源公司（Pacific Power Marketing Energy）正建造這兩座分別沿著德州南部甘乃迪郡馬德雷潟湖（Laguna Madre）區的風力發電設備。
德州公用事業委員會（The Texas Public Utility Commission）在2007年11月通過一項將由美國電力公司德州分部（AEP Texas）承造的6千萬美元輸電管線計畫的規劃案。
兩個風力發電場及輸電管線都將佇立在與國王農場相鄰較小的甘乃迪農場上，而這個國王農場是德州海岸棲地聯盟的成員之一。
這個計畫預計在2008年底開始營運，將產生大約388百萬瓦（megawatts）的電力，足以提供大約9萬個家戶用電需求。這個新的研究報告指出，這兩個計畫總計將供電給6萬英畝（約合2.43萬公頃）範圍的區域，擁有超過500座400英呎（約合122公尺）高的風力渦輪機。
這個由EDM國際公司（EDM International, Inc.）採用美國漁業暨野生動物局發展的方法進行的評估報告顯示，從對候鳥可能具有潛在威脅的角度來看，這些風力發電的場址幾乎與專為保護鳥類而設的國家級野生動物保護區一樣敏感。
Two wind power projects under construction in Kenedy County, Texas will pose a threat to migratory and resident birds and bats, according to a scientific study released today by the Coastal Habitat Alliance. The two projects, both being built on private ranch land, will be the first wind farms in coastal south Texas.
This portion of the Texas coast is among the most important bird migration corridors in North America, linking Canada and the United States with Mexico and Central and South America, the alliance says.
Astralian financial group Babcock & Brown and PPM Energy, a subsidiary of Iberdrola's Scottish Power, are pursuing the construction of two separate wind energy generation facilities along the Laguna Madre region of the south Texas coast in Kenedy County.
The Texas Public Utility Commission in November 2007 approved plans for a $60 million transmission line project to be built by AEP Texas, a division of Ohio-based American Electric Power.
Both wind farms and the transmission line are going up on the Kenedy Ranch, the smaller neighbor of King Ranch, a member of the alliance.
The projects are supposed to be operational by late 2008 and will generate about 388 megawatts of electricity - enough to power about 90,000 homes. In total, the two projects would cover 60,000 acres and include more than 500 wind turbines, each about 400 feet tall, states the new report.
Conducted by EDM International, Inc. using methodologies developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, today's report shows that in terms of potential harm to migratory birds the wind farm sites are almost as sensitive as a national wildlife refuge established for bird protection.
全文及圖片詳見：ENS
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
