PacifiCorp electric utility, one of the West's largest, agreed to plead guilty to 34 misdemeanor counts of killing eagles, hawks and ravens in violation of the federal Migratory Bird Act in Casper, Wyoming federal court on July 10th. The company was assessed $10.5 million:$510,000 as a criminal fine and $900,000 in restitution, and required to spend $9.1 million repairing or replacing equipment to make the infrastructure safe for birds. Prior to the plea agreement, the company failed to implement readily available solutions to prevent avian deaths. The illegal deaths were caused by contact with Rocky Mountain Power's power lines and distribution equipment. US Fish & Wildlife conducted an investigation beginning in 2007 into excessive eagle mortalities in six Wyoming counties. The federal charges arose from the investigation's findings. USF&W agents documented 1,031 eagles dying from electrocution in Wyoming since 1991. The eagle remains are sent to a national repository where some will be distributed to Native Americans for religious and cultural use. Recitation paid by the company will be distributed to conservation organizations engaged in conserving birds of prey in the inter-mountain West.[photo courtesy: USF&W]