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Streamlined Cell Tower Process Conserves Migratory Birds in Missouri
Midwest Region, October 1, 2004
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The Columbia Missouri Field Office annually receives an average of 300-500 cellular communication tower projects for review. The projects include co-locating a new tower on an existing tower, monopoles with no guy wires, or more than 400 foot-tall tower with guy wires. To effectively process the large volume of requests, the the office developed a form called ?Design Specifications Questionnaire for Proposed Communications Towers in Missouri.? The form addresses project impacts to both federally listed species and migratory birds. The consulting firm is required to fill out the form providing information on the project site, tower height, proposed number of guy wires, type of safety lighting used on the towers, and site impacts (access roads, site of work area). Once the form is submitted, a biologist evaluates project impacts and submits an evaluation back to the consulting firm or communication company. For example, if the proposed project is 330 feet tall, has guy wires and is located adjacent to a state wildlife area, the biologist would likely determine that the tower design will not adequately minimize bird strikes. To help limit design problems, the form also has information on the type of tower design that avoids or minimizes impacts to migratory birds (e.g., co-location, less than 200 feet, no guy wires). Besides significantly reducing our workload in reviewing these actions, the form and ?concurrence? process has provided an effective outreach and education tool that is paying off in a noticeable reduction in the number of cell towers posing threats to migratory birds. Consulting firms have informed us that their clients are building more migratory bird friendly cell towers in Missouri as a direct result of our office's streamlined review and concurrence process.

Contact Info: Midwest Region Public Affairs, 612-713-5313, charles_traxler@fws.gov



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