[BCNnet] FCC seeks input on comm tower policy development to reduce bird kills

[BFisher928 at aol.com]

This alert is from Karen Etter Hale of the Wisconsin Bird Conservation 
Initiative

The U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service estimates the number of migratory birds 
killed by collisions with communication towers to be between 4 million and 50 
million per year. At least 96,000 towers are registered with the Federal 
Communications Commission nationwide, and more are built every year. 

The FCC is seeking comments on the possible adoption of measures that would 
reduce migratory bird kills at communication towers. After many years of 
pressure from the bird conservation community, this is the first opportunity for 
public input. Comments are due by Jan. 22, 2007. 

Communication towers have long been known, especially in Wisconsin, to be a 
hazard to birds, as the longest study to date was conducted here by Dr. Charles 
Kemper: A Study of Bird Mortality at a West Central Wisconsin TV Tower from 
1957-1995. Over the 38-year period of the study, he collected 121,560 birds 
representing 123 species. On one night in 1963, he collected more than 12,000 
birds, the largest single-night kill yet documented. 

The number of birds killed by communications towers varies based on the type 
of lighting (medium intensity white strobe lights appears to be much better 
than red obstruction lighting systems), the use of guy wires (free-standing 
towers are better), tower height, and location of the tower. Communication devices 
should be collocated  (all on one tower) whenever possible; and Environmental 
Assessments (EAs), prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy 
Act, should be required for proposed facilities that could have adverse effects 
on migratory birds. EAs would be of  particular importance for any places where 
there could be cumulative impacts, such as known migratory pathways. A prime 
example is along the Gulf Coast, where birds make landfall after a lengthy and 
arduous migration. 

FCC is seeking all comments, but prefers information based on the scientific 
or technical evidence. All comments need to include the agency name and be 
identified by WT Docket No. 03–187, FCC 06–164. To submit your comments, choose 
one of the following options: 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov or to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ (this is 
also the website to access the docket and read background documents)  
E-mail ecfs at fcc.gov and include “get form” in the body of the e-mail to 
receive a sample form to fill in 
Send via U.S. mail to Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20554. Good background resources can be found at 
www.towerkill.com and at www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issues/towers/comtow.html or you can 
read the entire proposal on the Federal Register at

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-19742.pdf 

Take a few minutes and provide comments to the FCC on this important 
regulatory issue.
Bob Fisher
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20061227/09c06bba/attachment.html