Don’t mess with the nest, feds say

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A utility in Juneau, Alaska, has agreed to pay $125,125 in fines for destroying a bald eagle’s nest, the Associated Press reports.

Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. reached the agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office, which accused the private utility of showing a ‘wanton disregard’ in destroying the nest.

The utility is accused of damaging the nest and then destroying it months later while blasting during construction of the Lake Dorothy hydroelectric project in 2006 and 2007, the AP reports. The lake is about 25 miles southeast of Juneau.

A federal judge must approve the agreement.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta