Industry, Environmental Groups Ask FAA for Tower Lighting Guidance
Industry and environmental groups jointly asked the FCC to study the “conspicuity” of steady burning red obstruction sidelights, as the FCC contemplates new rules for wireless towers aimed at curbing bird deaths. Among the rules under consideration at the FCC is a requirement that celltower operators install white blinking lights to protect migrating birds. The groups ask the FAA to determine whether red steady lights can be eliminated altogether without compromising air safety.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
The letter comes as CTIA, PCIA, NAB, the National Assn. of Tower Erectors, the American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife and Environmental Defense continue negotiations on common ground on tower safety (CD Jan 9 p3). Sources said the letter demonstrates that discussions are continuing. The principals plan the next meeting of their working group for later this month. In Jan., the various parties got the FCC to agree to extend a comment deadline to give more time to negotiate.
“We're not sure there’s been arguments on either side that it’s the red steady burning lights that are the problem,” said a source at one of the groups: “Whatever decisions are made, the FAA has to approve. You can’t change out lights without FAA approval. We're trying to begin the process of working with the FAA.”
The groups asked the FAA to determine whether side- mounted steady red lights can be eliminated, where currently required for communications towers, “without harm to air safety.” FAA rules, which date from the 1970s, require towers using red obstruction or dual lighting systems to use steady red obstruction sidelights mounted at different levels depending on the height of the tower, the letter said.
“The undersigned are submitting this request in furtherance of their shared goal to protect the environment and provide communications services to the American people while preserving air safety,” the letter said: “The results of such a study also would better inform the FCC as it considers lighting issues in response to the notice.”