U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Concerns Over U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Concerns Over Potential Radiation Impacts of Cellular Potential Radiation Impacts of Cellular Communication Towers on Migratory Birds and Communication Towers on Migratory Birds and Other Wildlife – – Research Opportunities Research Opportunities Other Wildlife Albert M. Manville, II, Ph.D. Albert M. Manville, II, Ph.D. Senior Wildlife Biologist Senior Wildlife Biologist Division of Migratory Bird Management, USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management, USFWS 4401 N. Fairfax Dr. MBSP- -4107 4107 4401 N. Fairfax Dr. MBSP Arlington, VA 22203 Arlington, VA 22203 (o) 703/358- -1963 1963 (o) 703/358 Albert_Manville@fws.gov Albert_Manville@fws.gov May 10, 2007, “ “Congressional Staff Briefing on the Congressional Staff Briefing on the May 10, 2007, Environmental and Human Health Effects of Environmental and Human Health Effects of Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation,” ” House Capitol 5, House Capitol 5, Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, Washington, DC Washington, DC 1 1
Issues to Be Briefly Addressed: Issues to Be Briefly Addressed: • Trust responsibilities and avian population status. • Trust responsibilities and avian population status. • Temporal and spatial use of airspace. • Temporal and spatial use of airspace. • Documented impacts of communication towers on • Documented impacts of communication towers on migratory birds. migratory birds. • Recent European research discoveries regarding towers • Recent European research discoveries regarding towers and radiation impacts to resident and migrating birds, and radiation impacts to resident and migrating birds, other fauna (esp. bees). other fauna (esp. bees). • Proposal for communication tower research on wildlife • Proposal for communication tower research on wildlife in the U.S. in the U.S. • Next steps. • Next steps. 2 2
Federal Trust Responsibilities Federal Trust Responsibilities • USFWS entrusted by Congress, and required by • USFWS entrusted by Congress, and required by statutes and regulations, to manage and protect statutes and regulations, to manage and protect migratory birds (and other fauna [ESA]) (and other fauna [ESA]) under authority of: under authority of: migratory birds – Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, – – Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and – – Endangered Species Act. Endangered Species Act. – 3 3
Avian Population Status Avian Population Status • Status U.S. bird populations of concern. 1995, USFWS listed • Status U.S. bird populations of concern. 1995, USFWS listed 124 “ “nongame species of management concern nongame species of management concern. .” ” Represents Represents 124 early warning system since possible next step is designating early warning system since possible next step is designating birds as “ “candidates candidates” ” under Endangered Species Act under Endangered Species Act – – birds as scenario we’ ’d prefer to avoid. d prefer to avoid. scenario we • 2002, USFWS published “ “birds of conservation concern birds of conservation concern, ,” ” as as • 2002, USFWS published mandated by law. Number bird populations in trouble mandated by law. Number bird populations in trouble increased from increased from 124 to 124 to 131 131 species species – – not good news. In not good news. In addition, 77 77 endangered endangered and and 15 15 threatened threatened birds included birds included addition, under ESA – – numbers continue to increase. numbers continue to increase. under ESA • Recapping, 836 species, 836 species, > 223 > 223 in trouble in trouble. . In addition, Service In addition, Service • Recapping, essentially lacks data on status 1/3 1/3 N. Am. bird populations. N. Am. bird populations. essentially lacks data on status Management challenge! Management challenge! 4 4
Temporal and Spatial Use of Airspace Temporal and Spatial Use of Airspace • Air as a habitat is a new concept, including for as a habitat is a new concept, including for • Air USFWS. USFWS. • Service’ ’s goal: do s goal: do no no harm harm. . • Service • Challenge: All signs indicate continuing massive : All signs indicate continuing massive • Challenge expansion cellular communication, DTV, emergency expansion cellular communication, DTV, emergency broadcast, paging, other electronic communications broadcast, paging, other electronic communications in U.S. Currently FCC’ ’s s Antenna Registry Antenna Registry database database in U.S. Currently FCC contains nearly 100,000 listed providers/licensees. contains nearly 100,000 listed providers/licensees. Likely underestimates true number. Likely underestimates true number. • Tower growth continues exponentially. • Tower growth continues exponentially. 5 5
Potential Impacts Communication Towers on Wildlife Potential Impacts Communication Towers on Wildlife • Direct effects of individual towers and antenna “ “farms. farms.” ” • Direct effects of individual towers and antenna - Bird and bat strike mortality. - Bird and bat strike mortality. - Direct habitat loss/modification. Direct habitat loss/modification. - - Interior forest, grassland habitat loss. - Interior forest, grassland habitat loss. - - Habitat fragmentation, increase in edge. Habitat fragmentation, increase in edge. - Increase in nest parasitism and predation. Increase in nest parasitism and predation. - - Water quality impacts Water quality impacts. . - Indirect effects. Indirect effects. - Reduced nesting/breeding density. Reduced nesting/breeding density. - - Loss population vigor and overall density. - Loss population vigor and overall density. - Habitat and site abandonment, increased Habitat and site abandonment, increased - isolation b/w patches. isolation b/w patches. - Loss of refugia. - Loss of refugia. - Effects on predator/prey relationships. - Effects on predator/prey relationships. - Attraction to modified habitats. Attraction to modified habitats. - - Effects on behavior including stress, interruption, modificatio Effects on behavior including stress, interruption, modification. n. - - Disturbance, avoidance, displacement, habitat unsuitability - Disturbance, avoidance, displacement, habitat unsuitability. . A. Manville, A. Manville, ~750 ft. AGL ~750 ft. AGL Cumulative effects. effects. Cumulative Catholic Un. Catholic Un. lattice tower lattice tower 6 6
Issues of Concern to the Service: Direct Mortality Direct Mortality Issues of Concern to the Service: • Bird- -tower collision mortality been documented problem in U.S. tower collision mortality been documented problem in U.S. • Bird since least 1948 (Aronoff 1949). (Aronoff 1949). USFWS USFWS (D. Banks 1979) (D. Banks 1979) estimated estimated since least 1948 avian avian- -tower mortality at tower mortality at 1.25 million birds/yr. 1.25 million birds/yr. based on based on assessment 505 tall towers 1975. assessment 505 tall towers 1975. • DMBM became involved Feb. 1998 single night kill up to 10,000 • DMBM became involved Feb. 1998 single night kill up to 10,000 Lapland Longspurs, others, Kansas at 3 towers and power Lapland Longspurs, others, Kansas at 3 towers and power generating station. generating station. • Evans (1998) (1998) reassessed Banks reassessed Banks’ ’ mortality estimate based on mortality estimate based on • Evans increased numbers tall towers, estimating increased numbers tall towers, estimating 2 2- -4 million bird 4 million bird deaths/yr. deaths/yr. • Manville (2001a) (2001a) estimated annual mortality at estimated annual mortality at 4 4- -5 million bird 5 million bird • Manville deaths/yr., but Manville but Manville (2001b) (2001b) later cited later cited 4 4- -5 million 5 million figure as figure as deaths/yr., “conservative, conservative,” ” indicating that mortality could range high as indicating that mortality could range high as 40 40- - “ 50 million. 50 million. Only cumulative impacts analysis determine Only cumulative impacts analysis determine “ “true true” ” magnitude problem. magnitude problem. 7 7
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