Mother nature roundly rejects Obama Administration's energy policy

The recent spat of attacks by birds of prey on the country's physical and intellectual energy infrastructure has been recognized by members of the GOP as nature's repudiation of the Obama Administration's energy policy.

"These birds are finally making clear that which we have been saying all along: the expansion of renewable energy, whether in the form of wind power or biofuels, not only kills jobs and raises energy prices, but also threatens natural ecosystems with clear and present danger," said a representative of the Republican National Committee, who is not authorized to speak to the press.

The incidents, which have taken place over the span of several months, have called attention to the environmental effects of U.S. energy policy.

For the past several months, red-tailed hawks have been attacking students and pedestrians near the agronomy and engineering buildings at Purdue University, one of the leading institutions in biofuels research. Director of Grounds Gary Evans warned students, staff, and faculty who frequent the area to "be alert and carry an umbrella, which when opened will provide a shield and deterrent should the hawks swoop down."

More recently, in Missoula, Montana, power to a portion of town was knocked out after a bald eagle dropped a baby fawn on some powerlines. "The symbolism of this event cannot go unheeded," said Andrew Jaeger, spokesperson for Greater Montana Water and Power. "This attack on our small town by the emblem of these United States is a clear rejection of our illogical efforts toward expanding wind power."

Biofuels are responsible for the expansion of agricultural production to lands that were previously retired from farming. This has led to increasing levels of farm chemicals and nutrients in waterways, damaging vital aquatic habitat that raptors rely on for food. Montana currently has nearly 50 wind power projects under development. While a theoretically infinite source of renewable energy, these projects have long been considered dangerous for avian wildlife as well as an expensive eyesore.

The Obama Administration has trumpeted the virtues of renewable energy, including wind power and renewable fuels, since coming into office in 2009. However, Republicans and their backers have provided plenty of resistance to further expansion of renewable energy efforts; a recent defeat of subsidies for ethanol producers shows that Congress - weighted heavily with Republicans following the electoral roundhouse-kick-to-the-face delivered to Obama in the midterm elections of 2010 - is firmly on the side of Mother Nature. However, these efforts may have arrived too late.

"These birds have shown us that we are clearly on the wrong path when it comes to responsible energy policy," stated Edhas Patel, an energy economist with the University of California, Davis. "We need to embrace the fact that we are extremely well-endowed with coal resources which provide cheap energy that does not threaten these birds to nearly the same extent as wind power and biofuels. We need to respect the warning that these creatures are giving us, lest we be left to the wicked devices of our avian overlords."