Wind some, lose some

The China Mountain Wind Project, which would install between 100 and 200 wind turbines on the border between Idaho and Nevada, has been delayed for two years because of the sage grouse inhabiting the land.

The Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho, reported that the area is “a wind-rich area with ample room for the proposed 170 wind turbines on 25,500 public acres.”

Sage grouse, known for their oddly shaped torsos and pointy feathers, are under consideration by the Endangered Species Act, but will not be officially deemed endangered until 2015. However, the installation of the turbines would require paving over much of the land, displacing the birds.

Wind energy advocates are disappointed in the delay, but several officials have acknowledged that protecting the ecosystem is a priority. According to the Times-News, the project was “estimated to bring in 750 temporary construction jobs and almost 50 permanent jobs.”

The Bureau of Land Management has three years to figure out ways to conserve the habitat for the sage grouse.