Managing Wildlife Hazards on Airports Environmental Science Associates Stephanie Parsons Environmental Science Associates

Overview FAA Rulemaking Wildlife Hazard Assessments Identifying Potential Hazards Methods for Reducing or Preventing Attractants

FAA Rulemaking Who is Required to Prepare WHA? Part 139 Certificated Airports 14 CFR Part 139.337 Federal Grant-in-Aid Grant Assurances CertAlerts General Aviation Airports Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Funds Grant Assurances Passenger Facility Charges (PFC) General Applicability under the CFR 40 CFR Part 258 “Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills”

FAA Rulemaking Certification Alert Part 139 to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments if they experience a “triggering event” as outlined in Part 139.337 (b): multiple wildlife strikes substantial damage from striking wildlife engine ingestion of wildlife wildlife of a size, or in numbers, capable of causing any of the items described above

FAA Rulemaking Mandatory Wildlife Hazard Assessments The FAA believes all airports should understand the level of wildlife activity on or near their airport 2009 Rulemaking Assessments mandatory at all Part 139 airports whether or not an airport has had a “triggering event” The FAA plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

FAA Rulemaking General Aviation Airports FAA program to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments at approximately 2,000 GA airports GA airports with 100 or more based jets or 75,000 total operations per year Remaining GA airports based on aircraft, operations and triggering events Phased-in approach Group 1, 168 GA Initiated by 2015 AIP funding available for these assessments and follow-on WHMP

Part 139 Airports - CertAlerts Additional Guidance on Part 139 Airport Certification and Related Issues CertAlert No. 04-16: Deer Hazard to Aircraft and Deer Fencing CertAlert No. 98-05: Grasses Attractive to Hazardous Wildlife CertAlert No. 06-07: Requests by State Wildlife Agencies to Facilitate and Encourage Habitat for State-Listed Threatened and Endangered Species and Species of Special Concern on Airports Certalert No. 04-09: Relationship Between FAA And Wildlife Services

FAA Advisory Circulars 150/5200-32A, Reporting Wildlife Aircraft Strikes Importance of reporting collisions between aircraft and wildlife How to report, process, accessibility and Feather ID Program 150/5200-33B, Hazardous Wildlife Attractants on or Near Airports Identifying certain land use areas in the vicinity of public-use airports that have the potential to attract hazardous wildlife Placement of new airport development projects (including airport construction, expansion, and renovation) pertaining to aircraft movement in the vicinity of hazardous wildlife attractants 150/5200-34A, Construction or Establishment of New Landfills Near Public Airports How to comply with new Federal statutory requirements about the construction or establishment of new landfills within six miles of certain public airports 150/5200-36, Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist Qualifications for wildlife biologists who conduct WHAs Addresses the minimum wildlife hazard management curriculum for the initial and recurrent training of airport personnel involved in implementing an FAA-approved Wildlife Hazard Management Plan

Phases of Wildlife Hazard Assessments

Wildlife Hazard Management Plans States measures to decrease hazards and list responsible parties Prioritize and determine a target schedule for implementing measures Identify resources the certificate holder will use to implement plan Document wildlife control permits needed Provisions for effective communication to implement the plan and training Procedure to review and evaluate the plan Submitted to the FAA Administrator for approval and incorporation into the Airport Certification Manual

Determine Hazards Identify land uses on and around airport which may serve as attractants Municipal solid waste landfills Water and storm water management facilities Wetlands Agriculture Golf course Landscaping New development Preserves

Determine Hazards Observations at potential attractants Types of wildlife Location of wildlife (Grass, ponds, structures) Patterns or use (flyover, foraging, loafing) Times of day (Dawn, dusk, midday) General observations of surrounding or in between areas

Determine Hazards If available, review strike history Evaluate operations, observations, and strike reports Are there patterns that would impact operations? Develop a plan to address An integrated, landscape-level management approach is necessary to ensure an overall reduction in potential hazards

Managing Wildlife Hazards Four basic control strategies are available to solve wildlife problems on airports: Aircraft flight schedule modification Idea: do not depart during a 20-minute period at sunrise or sunset during winter when large flocks of blackbirds cross an airport going to and from an off-airport roosting site. Habitat modification and exclusion Repellent and harassment techniques (CA) State Bill 481 - Management of Wildlife at Public Use Airports Wildlife removal USDA Depredation permit Integrate all four control strategies where feasible

Managing Wildlife Hazards Habitat Modification Reduce food, water and cover Eliminate handouts and improperly stored food waste Mow and maintain vegetation at 6-10 or 7-14 inches Mow all areas within your control Avoid vegetation that produce seeds or fruits Avoid creating dense canopy Grass with endophytes (bacteria/fungus) varieties of fescue

Managing Wildlife Hazards Habitat Modification Reduce food, water and cover Modify storm drain system (detain max 48-hours) Use bird balls, wire grids or netting on ponds Place anti-perching devices on light poles, ledges, roof peaks, signs, posts etc Use 45 degree or more angles on ledges Maintain fencing Wildlife patrols and runway sweeps in vehicles

Managing Wildlife Hazards Design Review for Airport and Tennant Projects Creating a Wildlife Hazard Working Group Define Problem Develop Management Strategy Conduct Periodic Assessments Outreach and Coordination Environmental Permitting Agencies Local Jurisdictions (Planning, Development, Code Enforcement) Tennants Stakeholders and Decision Makers

Resources FAA Airport Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Home Page Quick links to FAA ACs, Cert alerts, regulations, manuals, reports, forms, on-line strike reporting, strike database, and training http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html USDA Wildlife Damage Management Research on Aviation Safety, Report on Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the US, Fact Sheets, USDA Activities http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/ Wildlife Hazard Management Workshops Next Scheduled Event: January 23-25, 2013, Burbank, CA (BUR) Airport http://worldwide.erau.edu/professional/seminars-workshops/wildlife-hazard-management/index.html Birdstrike Committee USA Next Conference: August 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  http://www.birdstrike.org/ International Birdstrike Committee Best Practices Guide http://www.int-birdstrike.org/

Resources Manuals Wildlife Hazard Management at Airports, a Manual for Airport Operators, (2nd edition. 2005 available in English and Spanish and the 1st edition 1999 available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese). This is the first of a kind publication to provide basic guidance to addressing Wildlife Aircraft Strike issues at airport. Annual Report, Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States, 1990-2008. First published in 1995, this document provides information on wildlife hazard strikes to civil aircraft. To view these documents go to http://wildlife- mitigation.tc.faa.gov/public_html/index.html#manuals.

Thank You