Understanding the Effects

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Understanding the Effects ofLight Pollution on
Wildlife
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Light Pollution Imposes Serious Environmental
Problems
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1997 Satellite Image of United States at Night
(NOAA)
Portland

• Ecosystems Affected
• Greater I-95 I-91 corridors(/-150 miles in
  each direction)
• Coastline areas islands
• Mountain ranges flatlands
• Forests meadows
• Riparian areas, water bodies
• Most outdoor habitats in NE

What impact does light impose on wildlife and
habitats?
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Elements of Light Pollution Impacting Wildlife
Glare(deer in the headlights, reduces public
safety, privacy, quality of life, etc.) Light
Trespass(wasted light spilling beyond
illuminated property) Sky Glow(wasted light
spilling into the night sky) Visual
Clutter(glare from unshielded lighting confuses
drivers, mariners, and animals. Glare makes it
difficult to distinguish oncoming traffic.)
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Compare Light from Natural and Artificial
Sources what the critters see
Lake Michigan skyglow
sunset
natural night sky
light polluted night sky
Rocky Hill night sky
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Northeast at Night (NOAA 1997)
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Wildlife Issues Light pollution is trespassing
into wildlife habitats

• Wildlife Concerns
• Habitat Disturbance
• Mating behavior and circannual estrus
  disruption
• Wildlife Behavior
• Unnatural predation advantage for nocturnal
  species
• Wildlife Survival
• Endangered and threatened species
• Algal blooms in free standing waters wetlands

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NOCTURNAL WILDLIFE
yellow crowned night heron
owls
gray tree frog
spotted seatrout
bats

• Active at night, roost by day.
• Some species species are rare, threatened and
  endangered species.
• Some species provide human and ecological health
  benefits.
• Some species provide economic benefits
• What are the effects of light pollution on their
  habitat and behavior?

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DIURNAL WILDLIFE
frogs
songbirds
waterfowl
dragonfly
squirrels

• Active by day, roost at night.
• Some species are rare, protected and endangered
  species.
• Some species provide human and ecological health
  benefits.
• Some species provide economic benefits.
• What are the effects of light pollution on their
  habitat and behavior?

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• Habitat Disturbance Observations
• Disruption of natural day/night illumination
  cycle in natural areas.
• Replacement of nocturnal (night) cycle by
  elevated levels of artificial lighting over broad
  natural areas.
• Greatest exposure of terrestrial habitats is
  mostly under tree canopy and over ground level
  areas. The preferred natural zones of most
  wildlife inhabitation.
• Aquatic habitats subject to light trespass and
  glare from upland and shoreline development.
  Water surface reflections magnify effects of
  light pollution by multiplying and distorting
  glare reflections.
• Light pollution in wildlife habitats mimics
  extended daylight conditions causing wildlife
  behavior to be unnaturally modified.
• Disruption of wildlife circadian and circannual
  rhythms from light pollution.
• Wildlife biodiversity at risk in light polluted
  nocturnal habitats.
• Diminished habitat function (e.g., shelter,
  protection, food)

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Understanding Light Pollution

• Does light fit the definition of a pollutant?
• What are the common effects of pollutants?
• What similarities do chemical and light
  pollutants have in common?
• Light pollution remediation costs less to cure
  than allowing it to perpetuate.
• Cleanup has no messy residues and has simple
  solutions
• Add shields to existing lights. New use fully
  shielded fixtures.
• Aim fixtures to retain all lighting within the
  property area.
• Never use more brightness than needed. Less may
  be better.
• Turn fixtures off when nobody is present to
  benefit. Use infrared sensors for effective
  security lighting that draws the immediate
  attention of everyone within its view.

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DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF POLLUTANT

• Pollute - to make unfit for or harmful to living
  things.
• Pollutant - something that pollutes a waste
  material that contaminates air, soil, or
  water.
• Pollution - Contamination of air, soil, or water
  by the discharge of harmful substances.

Forms of pollutants and examples Gas carbon
monoxide, noxious chemicals Liquid oil, PCBs,
chemical spills, pesticides, etc. Solid
asbestos Light streetlights, parking lots,
homeowners, landscapes Noise loud machinery,
traffic, construction, manufacturing
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• COMMONLY OBSERVED
• EFFECTS OF HARMFUL POLLUTANTS
• Behavior
• Growth
• Reproduction
• Survival
• Death
• Habitat Modification
• Pollutant Environmental Fate
• Population Effects

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Similarities between Chemical and Light Pollution

• Organism LP
• Impact Chemical Light
  Examples
• Human Exposure yes yes sub and urban/industrial
  settings
• Wildlife Exposure yes yes sub and
  urban/industrial settings
• Abnormal behavior yes yes migrations,
  attraction/avoidance
• Growth yes yes plants, cancer
  cells
• Reproduction yes yes mammals,
  amphibians
• Survival yes
  yes sea turtles, cats, fish, birds
• Death yes
  yes sea turtles, birds, coral, plants
• Sufficient data generated by studies on
  numerous chemicals.
• Insufficient data repeated observations of
  incidences and correlation to presence of
  artificial lighting.

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Similarities between Chemical and Light Pollution
Chemical Light Examples

• Habitat Modification yes
  yes coastal ecosystems
• Population Effects yes yes
  sea turtles, birds
• Pollutant Environmental Fate persistent
  persistent ubiquitous in urban/
• or
  short-lived industrial
  environments
• Ecological Imbalance yes
  yes coastal ecosystems
• Environmental Restoration expensive
  cheap Florida coasts
• Cedar River, WA
• Restoration benefits long term
  immediate Florida coasts
• Cedar River, WA
• Chesapeake Bay
• Sea turtle nesting habitats
• See slide 18 for explanations
• See slide 22 sockeye salmon habitat

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Public Pollution Regulation

• Chemical pollution is tightly regulated by public
  law and multiple agencies.
• Light pollution is not regulated by environmental
  agencies. Most agencies and many environmental
  interest groups are unaware of how significantly
  the issues affect them.
• The State of Florida set the precedent to
  regulate outdoor lighting strictly for wildlife
  conservation purposes.
• Connecticut State Building Code has required full
  cutoff outdoor lighting since 10/1/04 on all
  construction projects larger than 2-family
  residential.

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Public Pollution Regulation

• Agencies put the burden of enforcement on local
  governments to control light pollution.
• Light pollution needs the same attention as
  chemical pollution. Impacts can extend over
  200 miles beyond the source area. A single
  candle is visible over 5 miles away when
  presented in a natural dark background.
• Environmental agencies must address light
  pollution as a regional ecosystem and
  wildlife conservation management approach.
• Examples Chesapeake Bay Program
• Florida Everglades Program
• Great Lakes Program
• National Parks Service

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USAs First Outdoor Lighting Ordinance for
Wildlife Conservation
Endangered Sea turtles in Florida Life cycle
consists of birth on land, spending life in
ocean, returning to land only to nest on beach
areas.

• LIGHT POLLUTION IMPACTS
• Beach nesting habitats exposed to bright outdoor
  shoreline lighting. Light disrupts beach
  rats also.
• Adult turtles laden with eggs will not come
  ashore to nest
• Hatchlings emerge from sand nests, normally
  orientate towards starlit ocean
• Artificial lights on beaches, coastal roads, and
  buildings disorientate hatchlings and adults
  that crawl towards inland light sources and
  skyglow.
• Migratory disruptions from light pollution leads
  to death from dehydration, wildlife, domestic
  animals and human predation, and vehicle
  collusions.

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EXAMPLES OF AGENCIES IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT
WITH LIGHT POLLUTION
WETLANDS PERMITTING Army Corp of Engineers,
State Environmental Agencies, and local Wetlands
Boards Commissions.

• Permits do not address lighting on piers and
  waterfront structures
• Misdirected lighting trespassing into wetlands
  and upland wildlife habitat
• Problems magnified by water surface reflections
• Disturbance and modification of wildlife habitat
  and behavior
• Failure to address light pollution through
  wetlands regulations fosters impacts on wildlife
  environment, boating safety, public aesthetics
  and effectiveness of existing wetlands protection
  efforts.

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Light Pollution Impacts on Wildlife Through the
Nationwide Wetlands Permitting Process Potential
for Water Quality Habitat Impacts

• Unshielded lighting near waterfront areas
  penetrates the water column.
• Misdirected nighttime lighting shining into
  water promotes algal growth, provides a
  predation advantage for nocturnally active
  aquatic species, etc.
• Algae feeding zooplankton use sunlight migrating
  into deeper water to feed during the day. At
  night they migrate up to feed at the surface.
  Lights near water and riparian areas cause
  zooplankton to stay at deeper levels when they
  normally feed at the surface. This impact may
  disrupt the food chains for other nocturnal
  surface feeding fish, birds, and amphibians.
• Disruption of zooplankton feeding cycles leads
  to algal blooms in surface water. Glowing
  nighttime clouds have demonstrated significant
  disruption.
• Algal blooms associated with declining water
  quality conditions.
• Light pollution induced water quality effects
  are high for ponds, lakes, impoundments, and
  low flushing coastal watershed, wetlands, stream
  and river environments.

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• Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
  Involving Light Pollution
• BIRDS FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program)
  Highly successful Canadian public program aimed
  at reducing birds kills from collusions with
  lighted city buildings. Program identifies
  numerous bird species at risk from light
  pollution. Visit www.flap.org
• SEATURTLES - first identified light pollution
  indicator organism. Led to nations first
  public outdoor lighting ordinance in Florida for
  wildlife conservation purposes.
• SW USA ENDANGERED CAT SPECIES - US Border Patrol
  proposes putting up bright lights along US-Mexico
  border inhabited by endangered cats. USFWS
  presses for Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

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Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
Involving Light Pollution

• ENDANGERED CAT SPECIES - zoo breeding program
  observes Pallas cats reproductive difficulties
  in bright zoos. Pallas relocated to darker areas
  and reproduction activity returns to normal.
• SPORT FISHES - Civil court case involving
  nocturnal seatrout species in Scotland.
  Fishermen claim seatrout fishing degraded by
  light pollution from adjacent property. Court
  supports sport fishermen with judgment supported
  by expert testimony on seatrouts nocturnal
  behavior.
• In State of Washington, light trespassing into
  fish habitat from unshielded lights on Cedar
  River trails resulted in interference with
  sockeye salmon fry migration and an increase in
  predation pressures. Lights shielding by WA DOT
  reduced light trespass, enhanced habitat, and
  improved fish migratory passage.

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Public Action Precedents in Wildlife Conservation
Involving Light Pollution

• US NATIONAL PARK SERVICE is responding to public
  concerns about light pollution and loss of night
  sky aesthetics. National Park Service
  retrofitting existing lights with full cut off
  optics (FCO). Public night sky aesthetics
  restoration seen as a wildlife benefit

• MIGRATORY BIRDS - mortalities from collusions
  with lighted buildings and towers has led to
  USFWS guidance on lighted towers.

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• RECOMMENDATIONS
• ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES
• Environmental agencies (EPA, NOAA, USFWS, USACOE)
  and environmental interest groups (Sierra Club,
  Audubon Society, etc., ) need to take more
  concerted action on light pollution as an
  environmental problem of significant concern.
• Define artificial lighting as an environmental
  contaminant and ecological stressor.
• Environmental agencies must provide funding to
  conduct scientific studies to investigate light
  pollution impacts on the environment and
  wildlife.
• Environmental agencies must develop strategies
  and environmental regulations to address light
  pollution and protection of wildlife habitats.
• Develop the Chesapeake Bay, Florida Everglades
  Restoration and Great Lakes Programs as
  nationwide models to reduce light pollution
  impacts on wildlife.
• Public and private environmental programs can
  initiate outreach service to provide local
  wetlands boards, environmental interests groups
  and private citizens with education, regulatory
  guidance and funding on light pollution
  reduction.
• DOD installations could set public example of
  light pollution reduction as a means of enhancing
  wildlife habitat, public night sky aesthetics
  and energy savings through DOD environmental
  stewardship programs, ecosystem management
  initiatives, retrofitting needed existing
  outdoor lights with FCO lighting, and using
  electronic security technology to replace outdoor
  lighting as primary means of security.

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• RECOMMENDATIONS
• LOCAL AGENCIES
• Wetlands Regulatory - Army Corps of Engineers,
  State Agencies and Local Wetlands Boards
• Issue pier and marina permits with light
  pollution environmental assessment and shielded
  lighting requirements.
• Ban mercury vapor, sodium vapor and halide
  lights on residential and public piers, marinas
  and other waterfront structures. Use properly
  placed hooded alternate low illumination lamps
  instead for walkways and safety areas.
• No water surface reflections or indirect light
  trespass into surrounding habitat and adjacent
  properties.
• Use lowly illuminated hazard warning (yellow
  coded) lights on long piers and bridges to warn
  boater traffic of potential navigation hazard.
• Require all waterfront property owners to
  comply with the environmental mandate to reduce
  light pollution in the wetlands and waterways.
• Provide waterfront property owners with grants
  or awards to eliminate or retrofit existing
  lights to implement light pollution control as a
  habitat enhancement, wildlife conservation,
  boating safety enhancement, and public
  aesthetics enhancement initiative.

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Shielded Lighting Worksand is environmentally
friendly
Preserve the night! Shield those lights!
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CT State Laws governingOutdoor Lighting

• C.G.S. Chapter 238, Title 13, Section 13a-110a
  (c. 2001)Requires full cutoff lighting for state
  municipal roads.
• C.G.S. Chapter 238, Title 13, Section 13a-143d
  (c. 2003)Requires leased floodlights along state
  rights-of-wayto be fully shielded so as not to
  shine glare into roads or beyond property
  leasing the lighting services.
• CT State Building Code, CT Supplement page 89
  amendment to 2003 International Energy
  Conservation Code (IECC) requires full cutoff
  lighting for all outdoor lighting on development
  projects larger than two-family residential. (all
  building permits issued since 10/1/04)

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Other States With Light Pollution Laws
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Resources

• Citizens for Responsible Lighting (CRL) see
  Engineering gt Environmentalhttp//www.crlaction.o
  rg
• LiteLynx List (flora fauna section)http//memb
  ers.aol.com/ctcadman/LiteLynx.htmfauna
• The Ecological Society of Americahttp//www.front
  iersinecology.org
• Urban Wildlands Grouphttp//www.urbanwildlands.or
  g
• International Dark-Sky Associationhttp//www.dark
  sky.org

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Thank you
http//www.crlaction.org