[Big Dave]

There are indeed lots of birds. We would do well to not sweat the birds and build the wind turbines. Likewise we should ignore the NIMBYs and build the wind turbines. Or whatever energy infrastructure.

I see the comment: “The world I live in is not comprised of stark dichotomies where the only choice is to "smack someone down" or "the world ends."

If so, then you have no hope whatsoever of updating America’s energy infrastructure. If you cannot reduce policy to a matter of routine, then every single item requires a multi-year court case before it moves forward.

To reduce America’s emissions from just generation of electricity, you are talking hundreds of nukes and hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of wind turbines. If every single one of them requires a court case to allow it to go forward, then the problem is insurmountable.

The problem is you really do have to “smack somebody down” or the status quo hangs on forever.

I’m not huge admirer of the French, but in 1974 they held a binding national referendum on nuclear power. In a single stroke, the “smacked down” all those who would block construction and licensing of nukes before the fact. Then they borrowed Hyman Rickover and emulated the most successful nuclear power program in the world – that of the US Navy. Result: No court cases, and in a matter of two decades they became a 80% nuclear country with very low emissions from the electric power generating sector.

Sooner or later, you gotta quit talking about it and do it. If that requires a stark dichotomy, then I say “Bring it on.”