Abstract
Renewable energy development can reduce carbon emissions but can also harm wildlife, posing a tradeoff between local conservation and global climate goals. This paper estimates the effect of protections for golden eagles on wind energy development in the central United States. Federal enforcement of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act sharply increased after a key court decision in 2013, increasing potential liability for wind developers in regions where golden eagles are common. We find that counties with high exposure to golden eagles slowed their wind energy development after 2013 relative to counties with few to no golden eagles. The forgone wind energy would have brought either $140 million in new electricity or $57 million in climate benefits. The quantifiable benefits from avoided eagle fatalities appear considerably lower. Our results suggest that current policy, at least at the margin, overvalues wildlife protection and undervalues green energy.