May 29 2009 DOW Ltr to FCC with Alert Responses.Dot
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May 29, 2009 WT Docket Nos. 08-61 and 03-187 Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary Federal Communications Commission Office of the Secretary 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. Suite 110 Washington, DC 20002 Dear Secretary Dortch: Defenders of Wildlife recently informed our activists across the country of the petition for expedited rulemaking that Defenders, the American Bird Conservancy, and the National Audubon Society submitted to the Federal Communications Commission on April 14, 2009 regarding bird collisions with communication towers. More than 10,000 individuals took action and signed on to a letter, the text of which is found immediately below. The names, city and state of those who responded are also found below. The strong response indicates the importance of this issue to our members. We hope that the FCC will take immediate action and begin addressing the significant threat that communication towers pose to our migratory birds. Sincerely, Caroline Kennedy Senior Director of Field Conservation Dear Secretary Dortch: As you know, there are more than 100,000 communications towers in the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that as many as 50 million birds from at least 230 different species -- including many birds that are already in danger of extinction like blackpoll warblers, gray-cheeked thrushes and yellow-billed cuckoos -- are killed each year after colliding with these towers. That's more than one third of all the bird species that are found in our country. Defenders of Wildlife and their allies at National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy are filing a petition to urge your agency to introduce new regulations to protect our migratory birds -- and I would like to join them in calling for immediate action to address the cause of this massive, but avoidable, threat. Most bird deaths occur during the fall and the spring, when night-migrating birds are attracted in large flocks to the lights on the towers. The lights -- especially red solid-state or slow pulsing lights -- interfere with the birds' celestial navigation cues, disorienting them. Confused, the birds fly around and around the towers, crashing into one another or the tower itself. Others drop dead from sheer exhaustion. Your agency has been aware of this problem for at least ten years, but as of yet has failed to commit to real action to respond to this urgent crisis. Over a year ago, on February 2008, a federal court of appeals ordered the FCC to take steps to evaluate the potential adverse effects communications towers may have on migratory birds. A panel of federal judges also ruled that the agency was in violation of national environmental laws -- including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act -- by failing to properly consider these possible adverse effects in its permitting process for towers. I urge you to develop new rules to help protect our migratory birds as required by federal law. I also urge you to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the harmful effects of towers on species listed under the Endangered Species Act and on ways to minimize those effects. Finally, I urge you to develop an environmental impact statement that considers the effects of cell towers on birds and explores methods to reduce bird losses nationwide. Many of our most beloved migratory bird species are already at risk. I hope you will take swift and decisive action to prevent the needless death of millions of birds each year. Thank you for considering my comments on this urgent matter. I look forward to your prompt action. First Name Last Name City State James A Hughes Forked River NJ Cassie A. Cottage Grove WI Mary A. Hughan-Rojeski Santa Monica CA Teos Abadia Portland OR Alessandro Abate Miami Springs FL Andrew Abate Lindenhurst NY Desa Abbamondi Irving TX Isabella Abbiati Malé TN None Barbara Abbott Haverhill MA Bree Abbott Beaufort SC Judith Abbott Sanbornton NH Michelle Abbott Naples FL Nancy-Alyce Abbott Vineyard Haven MA Patricia Abbott Royal Palm Beach FL Tina Abbott New Milford NJ Brandon Abbott Easthampton MA Judith Abel Basel None Thomas Aber Kansas City MO Keren Abra San Francisco CA sarah abram New York NY Arlene Abrams Ewing NJ Michael Abrams Eugene OR William Abrams Rancho Cordova CA sally abrams San Francisco CA Ellen Abramson Surfside FL Kaye Abramson Clinton OK vanessa abramson Hollywood FL Richard Abruscato Thousand Oaks CA Conrado Acevedo Houston TX William Achnitz Greenvale NY scott achor Holmes Beach FL Annie Acker Sebastopol CA Jan Ackerman Apple Valley MN Alberto Acosta Moorpark CA Elizabeth Adam New York NY Anne Adams Columbia SC Brad Adams Wichita KS Brittany Adams San Francisco CA Charlotte Adams Wimberley TX Cynthia Adams Santa Cruz CA JT Adams Phoenix AZ Leslie Adams Rohnert Park CA Patricia Adams Sebastopol CA Roger Adams Spencer WV Sonia Adams Issaquah WA Tiffany Adams Roseville CA Jesse Clifford Adams Oakland CA Jesse Clifford Adams, Esq. Oakland CA Steve Aderhold Fallbrook CA F. Adinolfi Erie CO Christina Adkins Tampa FL Christina Adkins Tampa FL Matthew Adkison Fort Worth TX Dana Adler Fallbrook CA Doug Adler Colorado Springs CO Veronica Adrover Modesto CA Carrie Affleck Longmont CO diane afonso Newark NJ diane afonso Newark NJ Diane Afonso Newark NJ Ann C. Agasi Old Lyme CT Matthew Agen Arlington MA Richard Agey Newton IA Jason Agnew Sebastopol CA Jenai Agosta Pompton Plains NJ Danielle Agriopoulos Wilmette IL Andrew Aguiar Pleasanton CA Ka'ren Ahern Bainbridge Island WA Trish Ahrens Woodside NY Trish Ahrens Woodside NY Albert Ahronheim New York NY Kirsikka Ahtiala Helsinki None Donna Ainsworth Hamilton OH Patrick Aitchison Beaverton OR Loretta Aja Cherry Hill NJ laura akard Pacific Grove CA Paula Akbar Bethesda MD Emily Akeman Sherwood OH Julie Alaimo Seattle WA Raquel Alarcon City AL Anthony Albert Corvallis OR Gabriel Alberti Rego Park NY John Albertini Charleston ME Ann Albrecht Staunton VA Ingrid Albrecht Chicago IL Michael Albrecht Highland IN Matthew Albright Monaca PA Michael Alda Long Beach CA Doug Alderson Tallahassee FL Margaret Aldinger Groton CT Debra Aldrich Covington WA William Aldrich Warwick RI Yvonne Aleman Miami FL Patti Alexakis Camarillo CA Carolyn Alexander West Columbia SC David Alexander Bellflower CA Emily Alexander Framingham MA Mary Alexander Glen Allen VA Robert Alexander Miami FL Susan Alexander Indianapolis IN Suzanne Alexander Brentwood TN Vicki Alexander San Jose CA john alexander Chico CA margo alexander Fort Walton Beach FL Linda Alexander Mentor OH Melanie Alexander Stanfordville NY Cristina Alexandre Lisboa None Alan Alexis Duxbury MA Charles Alfano Tannersville NY Joseph Alfano Bayville NY paul alfieri San Antonio TX dollat alina gouvieux None Joan Alioto Davis CA Carolann Allaire Bridgeview IL Candace Allaman Bradenton FL Lisa Allarde Pt. Pleasant NJ Edmund Allatt Sonora CA Kristen Allbritton Richardson TX Benjamin Allen Annapolis MD Dayna Allen Redondo Beach CA Dennis Allen Santa Barbara CA John Allen Nipomo CA Lara Allen Long Island City NY Linda Allen Los Angeles CA Lisa Allen Pittsburg TX Melissa Allen Village Of Palmetto Bay FL Michael Allen Oak View CA Pati Allen Golden CO Carter Allen Turlock CA Jay Allen Glendale AZ Katherine Allen Collinsville CT Keegan Allen Hinesburg VT Tracie Allen Newark DE Donna Allenbaugh Walsenburg CO Herb Allenson Miramar FL Pat Allgood Lawton OK Kelly Allison Lakeville CT Melanie Allison Rochester MN Shirley Allison Mount Vernon IA Margaret Allman Seattle WA Katherine Allocco Middletown CT Katherine Allocco Middletown CT Leslie Allsopp Farmers Branch TX Pia Alm-Basu Loveland OH lucy almeida Bloomfield NJ David Almer Captain Cook HI Wayne Almond Morrisville PA Wendy Altmann Oshkosh WI Don Alton Iowa City IA Sara Altshul Santa Monica CA Juana Alvarez Miami FL Mary Stuart Alvord Palo Alto CA Thomasin Alyxander Windsor CA Lelia Amalfitano Boston MA Julie Amato Studio City CA J Amberg Sunnyvale CA Samantha Ambler Long Branch NJ Veronica Ambler Rugby None Dennis Ambruso Washington UT Sherry Amen Portland OR Georgios Americas South Pasadena CA Michael Amicangelo Dexter MI Martina Amicucci Grosseto None Jennet Amonte San Jose CA David Ams Warminster PA Maureen Anagnostis Staten Island NY Argie Anagnostos Bronx NY aidaanasagasti@ Anasagasti San Juan PR Steven and Ann Berkowitz Sugar Land TX Mouziane Deeb and Tina Dickerson Edmond OK Evette Andersen Grass Valley CA Janis Andersen San Diego CA A. Anderson Medford OR A.G. Anderson Gardnerville NV Anne Anderson Wyckoff NJ Carole Anderson Lake Oswego OR Donna Anderson Westchester CA Doug Anderson Little Rock AR Ginger Anderson Overland Park KS Judith Anderson Long Beach CA Kelley Anderson Sarasota FL Laura Anderson Oakland CA Ld Anderson Santa Cruz CA Linda Anderson Campo CA Nakia Anderson Estes Park CO Russ Anderson Missoula MT Sarah Anderson Wallingford CT cheryl anderson Cape Coral FL fran anderson Baltimore MD mary ellen anderson Point Roberts WA valarie anderson Port Jefferson Station NY Hope Anderson Needham MA Jean Anderson North St Paul MN John H. Anderson San Diego CA Judith Anderson Annapolis MD V. Anderson Honolulu HI Phillip Anderton Poole None John Andes Mount Juliet TN Stacey Andre Benicia CA sasheen andregg Emeryville CA Barbara Andrew Princeton NJ Mike Andrew Carlsbad NM Frances Andrews Davis CA Larry Andrews Irvine CA Tammy Andrews Playa Del Rey CA Tina Andrews Point Pleasant Beach NJ Larry Andrews Vancouver BC Renata Andrlik Prague None Jorge Andromidas Boulder CO Rebecca Andrus Germantown MD Carie Anfinson Sioux City IA Roberto Angarita