The University of Minnesota has been hit with a proposed $14,536 civil penalty after a wind turbine at its Eolos research station in Dakota County struck and dismembered a bald eagle, the DOI says. Officials allege the university killed the bird without an incidental take permit under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Technicians recovered the eagle’s remains in three parts more than a month apart, and federal agencies have urged the school to reassess the turbine’s risk and consider a long-term permit. The case follows other recent enforcement actions against wind projects that killed eagles.
University Of Minnesota Faces $14,536 Penalty After Wind Turbine Kills Bald Eagle
Close up stills of a bald eagle killed by a turbine discovered dead in March 2024 at Ørsted’s Plum Creek facility in Wayne County, Nebraska.
Editor’s note: This report includes graphic descriptions of animal remains that some readers may find disturbing.
Federal officials have proposed a $14,536 civil penalty against the University of Minnesota after a wind turbine at the university’s Eolos Wind Energy Research Field Station in Dakota County struck and dismembered a bald eagle, according to a Department of the Interior (DOI) violation notice reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The DOI notice alleges the university violated the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by killing the bird without an incidental take permit. Photographs obtained by Fox News Digital reportedly show the turbine striking the eagle and the carcass found in three pieces on the ground below.
DOI documents indicate university staff were aware that bird collisions were a known risk and were testing collision-detection sensors at the time of the incident. Technicians initially recovered the lower torso and tail; the eagle’s head and wings were not located until more than a month later.
Federal Response and Permit Guidance
After the discovery, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service urged the university to reassess the turbine’s danger to eagles and to consider applying for a long-term incidental-take permit. The DOI’s January notice does not indicate that such a permit has been obtained.
“America’s bald eagles are a national treasure, not collateral damage for costly wind experiments,” said Matthew Middleton, a DOI spokesperson. Middleton said the department is enforcing the law to protect eagles and hold projects accountable.
Project Funding and Broader Context
The turbine is part of the Eolos Wind Energy Research Consortium. Local reporting indicates construction of the tower was supported by a $7.9 million U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded in 2010. That funding traceably links the project to broader federal investments in clean-energy research following the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Minnesota incident is one of several recent enforcement actions involving wind projects. In November, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed fines against Ørsted Onshore North America after turbines killed two bald eagles in Nebraska and Illinois, and in January the FWS finalized penalties totaling $32,340 for those deaths.
Institutional Response
A University of Minnesota spokesperson confirmed the institution received the DOI notice and said the matter is currently under review. Ørsted did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The DOI notice and related agency statements indicate an emphasis on stronger enforcement of eagle protections at wind-energy sites, and officials have urged operators and research institutions to reassess risks and pursue appropriate incidental-take permits where necessary.
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