authority is limited by FCC law. For instance, states and local jurisdictions cannot base
their decisions on any purported environmental effects of radio frequency transmissions.
Telecommunications towers have the potential to cause vertical obstruction issues near
Arizona Army National Guard sites. Requirements for tower placement can help to
reduce potential incompatible placement of towers.
US Avian Hazard Advisory System
The U.S. Avian Hazard Advisory System (USAHAS) is a geographic information
system‐based bird avoidance model that was developed by the U.S. Air Force for the,
“analysis and correlation of bird habitat, migration, and breeding characteristics,
combined with key environmental and man‐made geospatial data.” The model provides
up‐to‐date information–“near real‐time”–about bird activity and movements to assist
pilots and flight planners in the scheduling and use of flight routes. The model can also
be used as a forecasting tool to estimate bird strike risk. Information from the North
American Breeding Bird Survey, Audubon Christmas Bird Count, bird refuge databases,
and the U.S. Air Force Bird‐Aircraft Strike database, as well as public domain information
regarding landfill locations, is used to predict bird activity and movement. The model is
available for use by agencies and the general public on the USAHAS website at
www.usahas.com.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The ESA is administered by the USFWS and the Commerce Department’s National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS). The USFWS has primary responsibility for terrestrial and
freshwater organisms, while the responsibilities of NMFS are mainly marine wildlife, such
as whales and anadromous fish, such as salmon. Under the ESA, species may be listed as
either endangered or threatened. “Endangered” means a species is in danger of
extinction throughout all, or a significant portion of, its range. “Threatened” means a
species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.
When a species is proposed for listing as endangered or threatened under the ESA, the
USFWS must consider whether there are areas of habitat believed to be essential to the
species’ conservation. Those areas may be proposed for designation as “critical habitat.”
A critical habitat designation does not necessarily restrict further development; it is a
reminder to federal agencies that they must make special efforts to protect the
important characteristics of these areas.
Only activities that involve a federal permit, license, or funding and that are likely to
destroy or adversely modify the area of critical habitat are subject to modification. If this
is the case, the USFWS will work with the federal agency and, where appropriate, private
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Planning & Compatibility Tools