Conservationists have announced plans to plan to sue the federal government over new rules they say diminishes protection for eagles, particularly bald eagles, killed by wind farm turbines.

The American Bird Conservancy notified the Obama Administration May 1 that it intends to file a lawsuit challenging recent changes in wildlife protection laws allowing wind farms that kill eagles accidentally to continue operating for a period of 30 years without needing to apply for new permits.

The previous laws mandated a new application submitted every five years.

U.S. law bans the killing of golden and bald eagles -- the latter being America's national bird, which also widely serves as the country's emblem -- without a permit, except for a set of narrow reason, like scientific research, explains a story by Reuters.

In 2009 the government expanded the exemptions to activities related to renewable energy.

The 30-year permit rule, approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service late last year, was reportedly meant to encourage more development of renewable wind power.

Experts disagree on how many eagles are killed by wind farms each year, although Doug Bell, wildlife program manager for the East Bay Regional Park District in Northern California, told Reuters about 50 to 70 golden eagles are killed each year in his area .

Fish and Wildlife estimates 85 bald and golden eagles have died from turbines since 1997.

In its required notice of intent to file a legal action against the government, the American Bird Conservancy asserted the rule change actually violates federal laws including the Endangered Species Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and contains no scientific justification.

The group also argues the permitting change was OK'd without an assessment of the nation's eagle populations.

The rule, the conservancy said in legal documents, "undermines the nation's longstanding commitment to conservation of eagles."

Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Laury Parramore announced the agency would not comment on pending litigation and Lindsay North, spokeswoman for the American Wind Energy Association, did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment.