Several meals
If you are interested in being a participant in this exciting opportunity, please contact:
John Zwieg: 218-666-5008 e-mail: jczwieg@lcp2.net
Joe Dennie: 218-753-3904 e-mail: denniesd@rangenet.com
Jim Boesen: 218-666-5601
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ADDRESSES OF COUNTY OFFICIALS
WEB SITE URL FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY:
PLANNING COMMISSION ADDRESS:- Planning Department,
100 Missabe Building,
227 West First Street,
Duluth, MN 55802
COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADDRESSES:
1st District Commissioner Dennis Fink- St. Louis County Courthouse
100 North 5th Avenue West,
Room 208,
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 726-2458
finkd@co.st-louis.mn.us
2nd District Commissioner Joanne Fay- St. Louis County Courthouse
100 North 5th Avenue West,
Room 208,
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 726-2359
fayj@co.st-louis.mn.us
3rd District Commissioner Bill Kron- St. Louis County Courthouse
I00 North 5th Avenue West,
Room 208,
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 726-2562
kronb@co.st-louis.mn.us
4th District Commissioner Mike Forsman
5th District Commissioner Peg Sweeney, Vice Chair
6th District Commissioner Keith Nelson
7th District Commissioner Steve Raukar, Board Chair
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Finding Permanent Protection Through Conservation Easements
Reprinted with permission of the Minnesota Lakes Association
Why consider a conservation easement?
Are you concerned about protecting Minnesota's lakeshore, natural areas and the waters they impact? Do you own a piece of these fragile lands and hope to protect them for future generations? If so, you're not alone. Concerned citizens and organizations throughout Minnesota are addressing these challenges through the development of conservation easements.
As we become increasingly aware of the threats to Minnesota's fragile lands and waters, we're also beginning to face unprecedented increases in property values and taxes. While more than two-thirds of Minnesota's lakeshore is privately owned by individuals, this trend could indicate a tremendous impact on the future of Minnesota's shoreland. Increasing land values and taxes are forcing some individuals to consider selling their shoreland property, despite the fear that a natural landscape could quickly be developed into a large commercial or less natural property. However, many Minnesota property owners are now turning to conservation easements for the opportunity to protect the natural habitat of their land, while maintaining the fiscal ability, for themselves or their heirs, to continue living on that land.
According to the Minnesota Land Trust, "a conservation easement is a set of restrictions a landowner voluntarily places on his or her property in order to preserve its conservation values. The conservation values of the property and the restrictions created to preserve those values, along with the rights reserved by the landowner, are detailed in a legal document known as a conservation easement. This document is filed with the local county land records." With over 2.6 million acres of protected lands in conservation easements across the United States, individual landowners are clearly beginning to find the value in the permanent protection offered by conservation easements.
Easements are a viable option for property owners striving to protect their lakeshore, wetland, forest, agricultural or other natural lands. An easement is a binding contract, developed with the guidance of a conservation organization or government agency assisting the landowner. The terms of the conservation easement are negotiated to meet the unique needs of the natural habitat and property owner. Both parties discuss the values of the land and design restrictions to protect those values. Various types of land use, such as agriculture or timber harvesting can usually continue, as defined in the easement terms. Additionally, some easements might require specific actions to ensure greater protection for a property's natural resources, such as a lakeshore revegetation project. The conservation or government agency is said to "hold" the easement, meaning they are responsible for monitoring and upholding its terms. Finally, the conservation organization or government agency does not have the right to use the property aside from monitoring easement terms once each year.
In Perpetuity = Permanent Protection
The majority of conservation easements are held in perpetuity, meaning the land is permanently preserved and protected. While conservation easements with limited duration are possible under some conditions, when striving for permanent protection easements must be perpetual and many organizations work only with permanent easements.
When a property owner places a conservation easement on their land they retain ownership of the land; however a perpetual easement "runs with the title" and if sold, donated or bequeathed the easement terms must still be upheld. The property also maintains its private status, allowing the landowner all associated rights of ownership. Yet, the terms of the easement require all land use by the property owner be consistent with easement conditions.
Landowners engaged in a conservation easement maintain a variety of obligations. As with any property the landowner is responsible for land upkeep, maintenance, and paying taxes. Furthermore, the landowner must notify the conservation organization or government agency of any proposed changes, allow for annual monitoring visits, notify the organization or agency when selling or gifting the property, and comply with all terms of the easement.
Crunch the numbers
A conservation easement may dramatically reduce a properties resale value, but it does not freeze a property's increasing value. Moreover, whether a property is donated, sold or gifted, it may provide the landowner with sizable income or estate tax deductions. For example, the two properties below were appraised before and after donations of conservation easements to the Minnesota Land Trust between 1 994-1 996.
Appraised value of property
before easement
$348,000
$955,000
|
Appraised value of property
after easement
$206,000
$486,000
|
Potential income tax deduction
for donor
$142,000
$469,000
|
Landowners selling a conservation easement property to a non-profit conservation organization can also receive income tax benefits if sold below fair market value. Bequeathing a conservation easement can also provide landowners with a practical option for gifting property to their heirs, while avoiding debilitating estate taxes. Property owners engaged in a conservation easement and maintaining ownership of the land will also experience considerable reduction in their property value, thus impacting property taxes. Consult with a tax advisor to closely consider the numerous options involved with conservation easements in relation to your unique land and personal needs.
Aside from the potential financial benefits a conservation easement also offers the permanent protection of Minnesota's invaluable lands, and more specifically Minnesota's priceless lakeshore and waters. Often the greatest values simply can't be measured in fiscal terms.
Who will protect Minnesota's land and waters?
While the average number of homes per lakeshore mile has increased from three in 1950 to 16.5 in 1999, the future of Minnesota's lands and waters truly lay in the hands of each individual shoreland owner. Today Minnesotans understand the ramifications of over-developed lakeshore, over-used waters and hasty planning. However, so much of the land and water is still well protected. Innumerable private landowners throughout Minnesota have left their properties in a relatively natural state for decades. These protected lands and habitats dot every lake, forest and prairie around the state. Together each property can collectively contribute to sustaining Minnesota's invaluable natural habitats. Will these protected lands and waters be permanently preserved? The answer can be found in the decisions of each individual shoreland owner.
Molly Zender Zins, MN Lakes Association, Communications Coordinator
|
Conservation Easement Organizations and Agencies
|
If you're interested in further exploring options
for conservation easements on your property,
contact one of the following orgaizations.
The Conservation Fund
Renay Leone,
Upper Mississippi River Field Representative
(renayeone@earthlink.net)
6459 Smithtown Road
Excelsior, MN 55331
(952)474-9189
Minnesota Land Trust, St. Paul Office
(mnland@mnland.org)
2356 University Avenue West, Suite 240
St. Ppaul, MN 55114
(651)647-9590 phone
(651) 647-9769 fax
website: www.mnland.org
|
The Nature Conservancy
Todd Molman, Central Minnesota Coordinator
(tholman@tnc.org)
7163 Bear Road, Cushing, MN 56433
(218) 575-3032
1000 Friends of Minnesota
Lee Ronning, Executive Director
(lronning@1000fom.org)
370 Shelby Avenue, Suite 300, St. Paul, MN 55102
website: www.1000fom.org
Trust for Public Land
Susan Schmidt
(susan.schmidt@tpl.org)
2610 University Avenue, Suite 300
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 917-2250 ext. 317
|
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Vermilion tests yield surprising results
Minntac's Proposed Discharge - An Update...By Mel Hintz
In ourNovember issue, we reprinted an article by Marshall Helmberger, managing editor, TlMBERJAY newspaper, on U.S. Steel's Minutac proposal to discharge millions of gallons per day of excess water from their tailings basin into Lake Vermilion's primary tributary, the Pike River. As of this writing, the draft EIS on this proposal is scheduled for release at the end of March 2005, according to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Project Leader John Wiling. Once the draft EIS is released, there will be a series of opportunities for public review and comment.
Also in our last issue, President Walt Moe reported in his message that the SCLVBoard had contracted with the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), a part of the University of Minnesota, to take three core samples for analysis of the state of Lake Vermilion, both pre-settlement and as it exists today. This work is being done by Dr. Euan Reavie, research associate, based at the NRRI Field Station in Ely.
On October 29, 2004, SCLVBoard Members Rick Borken, Bob Wilson, and Mel Hintz assisted Dr. Reavie and his Research Assistant Amy Kireta in the collection of the three core samples. The weather was near perfect for late October; mild temperatures and virtually no wind. We collected three cores: one in the middle of Big Bay SW of Potato Island, the second about midway between McKinley Park and the west end of Ely Island, and the third near where the Pike River flows into the Pike River Flowage. The cores were extruded later that day and sent to the lab for analysis. The researchers also collected a number of water quality measurements at each of these sites.
On January 19, 2005, the SCLVBoard met at the Ely Field Station where Dr. Reavie reported the preliminary results of the analysis of the three cores. These results are reported in the TIMBERJAY newspaper article by Marshall Helmberger reprinted in this issue of our newsletter. Dr. Reavie will prepare hisfinal reportfor the Sportsmen's Club after MPCA releases the draft EIS on the proposed discharge.
Article below reprinted with permission of the TIMBERJAY by Marshall Helmberger, Managing Editor
Test results on Lake Vermilion sediment cores have shown a number of surprises and could indicate parts of the lake have been affected by mining activity in the region.
Biologist Euan Reavie told members of the Lake Vermilion Sportsmen's Club last week that he found significantly elevated levels of several heavy metals in Vermilion sediments, levels that could indicate that leaching from taconite tailing basins north of Virginia is affecting water quality in portions of the lake.
Reavie also had some good news from the testing, including his finding that levels of mercury and sulfates are extremely low in Vermilion sediments.
Reavie works for the Natural Resources Research Institute from a branch office in Ely. The Sportsmen's Club recently hired him to conduct sediment testing in response to a proposal by officials with U.S. Steel's Minntac plant to discharge up to eight million gallons a day of wastewater from their tailings basin north of Virginia, possibly into the Lake Vermilion watershed. Reavie, along with members of the Sportsmen's Club, collected sediment core samples last October from the Pike River Flowage, Pike Bay, and Big Bay. Reavie examined sediments from the bottom of the core samples, which indicated conditions prior to European settlement of the area, as well as recent sediments at the top of the core, to compare changes between the two.
While Reavie's test results were intriguing, he said any final conclusions will have to wait until an environmental impact statement (EIS) on Minntac's proposal is completed later this spring. That study was originally scheduled for completion last fall, but has been delayed for months as officials with the state's Pollution Control Agency seek more information.
Reavie said he'll be most interested to review the results of water sampling from the tailings basin, which could indicate whether increasing concentrations of certain heavy metals in lake sediments may originate from water that currently leaches from the basin. "If we see similarities with what's happening in Vermilion, that would be very interesting," said Reavie.
Among the metals Reavie is concerned about is manganese, which he found at very high levels in recent sediments in the Pike River flowage as well as in Big Bay. While natural levels of the toxic metal were around 500 parts per million (ppm), he found levels of 3,500 ppm in the flowage and 3,800 ppm in Big Bay. "This was much higher than I expected," Reavie said. "It's a potential mine impact." Reavie noted that in other research he had done, on Cape Cod, high levels of manganese were connected with tumors in fish.
Reavie also found highly elevated levels of iron, magnesium, lead, and sodium, but not all of the increases were likely the result of mining. He said the increase in sodium, from non-detectable levels in sediments from before European settlement, to 45 ppm in the top layers of sediment, is almost certainly the result of road salt runoff.
At the same time, Reavie's testing indicated that mercury levels in sediments were extremely lowonly about 0.1 ppm, far below some other lakes in the region. He also found no evidence of increases in several other elements, such as sulfur, copper or cadmium.
The sediment samples did show big increases in phophorus levelswhich have nearly tripled since European settlement of the area.
"That's a pretty serious thing," said Reavie, noting that phosphorus is the number one contributor to algae growth in Minnesota lakes. While algal growth hasn't become a significant problem yet, Reavie said he sees signs of the beginning of a more serious problem.
It remains unclear, however, whether the phosphorus levels are actually continuing to worsen. Because Reavie just looked at sediments at the bottom of the core sample and at the top, and not those in between, all the test results can show is that conditions today are worse than prior to European settlement. The results don't indicate whether phosphorus levels are better or worse than they were 35 years ago, when poorly-treated sewage from the city of Tower was still entering the lake.
By most indicators, water quality has actually improved on the lake since the city's treatment methods were upgraded in the 1970s.
Besides testing the chemical makeup of the sediments, Reavie also examined the composition of diatoms in the sediments. Diatoms are a type of algae, or phytoplankton, which develop glass-like outer shells. Since those shells don't decay, they remain in lake sediments for centuries and can give researchers a glimpse into the biological past of a water body.
Reavie said the type of diatoms found in the sediments from prior to European settlement were different from the species found in Vermilion today. He said the species found today are more typical of a nutrient-rich lake, while conditions were more nutrient-poor in the past. "This is indicative of a very distinct change. We've changed the biology of the system," he said.
"It suggests we have a very unnatural concentration of nutrients."
Reavie told members of the Sportsmen's Club he'll be waiting until the MPCA publishes its EIS on the Minntac proposal before completing his report to the club.
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Keep our lake blue!
Minnesota's new statewide phosphorus lawn
fertilizer restriction went into effect
January 1, 2005.
1. Isn't phosphorus banned from lawn fertilizer products? No, the new phosphorus law does not ban phosphorus from lawn fertilizer products. It only restricts the user from using fertilizers containing phosphorus on established lawnsunless a soil test indicates that phosphorus is necessary.
2. Why are lawn fertilizers with phosphorus still being sold? It is still legal to sell fertilizers containing phosphorus. It is not, however, legal to use fertilizers containing phosphorus on established lawns. The phosphorus law restricts the user not the seller.
3. Do lawns need phosphorus? Phosphorus is only needed if you are laying down sod or seeding a new lawn, as it helps in root development.
4. Where can I use fertilizers containing phosphorus? You can use fertilizers containing phosphorus when establishing a new lawn, when planting vegetable and flower gardens, when fertilizing shrubs and trees, or when a soil test indicates phosphorus is necessary.
5. What should I do with my unused fertilizers containing phosphorus? Fertilizers containing 3 percent or less phosphorus may be used in many areas outside of the seven-county Metropolitan Area. You can use it at your cabin or second home, or you can give it to family or friends living outside of the Metropolitan Area. If this is not an option, you may choose one of the following:
- Take fertilizers that contain both phosphorus and pesticides to your nearest household hazardous waste collection site.
- Use fertilizers that do not contain pesticides but do contain phosphorus in vegetable and flower gardens, or around trees and shrubs.
6. Do commercial lawn services need to follow this law? Yes, in fact, many cities have restricted the use of phosphorus by commercial lawn care services for many years.
7. Why don't I need phosphorus in my lawn fertilizer? Phosphorus promotes healthy root growth. So, new grass, annual flowers, vegetable garden plants, and new shrubs all need phosphorus to develop their new root system-an established lawn does not.
8. Will my lawn be hurt if I don't have phosphorus in my fertilizer? Damage will only occur if you do not have adequate phosphorus levels in the soil to produce a healthy lawn. Most Metro Area lawns have more than adequate levels of phosphorus. If you are unsure, have your soil tested. To find out how, visit the OEA website (see below).
What can you do? Check with your local retailer now to make sure they stock zero phosphorus fertilizer.
For more information check out the MOEA website at: www.moea.state. mn.us/campaign/garden/index.html
Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
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Proposal For Special Walleye Regulation On Lake Vermilion
What type of regulation is the DNR proposing?
Two different options are being offered for consideration. Option 1 is a 17-26 inch protected slot with 1 fish over 26 inches. Option 2 (preferred) is also a 17-26 inch protected slot with 1 fish over 26 inches, with a 4-fish daily and possession bag limit.
Why is the DNR proposing a regulation change?
Fishing pressure and walleye harvest have been increasing in recent years. Creel surveys conducted in 2002 and 2003 documented the highest fishing pressure ever observed on Lake Vermilion (Figure 1). Although some of the increase can be attributed to muskie anglers, fishing pressure from walleye anglers has also been increasing. Fishing pressure is likely to continue increasing in the future. Projections in the draft Lake Vermilion Plan indicate 600-700 residences could be built on the lake in the next 20 years. While not all of the new residents will fish, it is reasonable to expect that many will. There has also been an increase in the number of anglers who use public accesses in recent years.
The walleye harvest in 2002-2003 averaged 88,200 pounds, well above the annual harvest target of 65,000 pounds (Figure 2). The harvest target represents DNR's best estimate of the maximum annual walleye harvest the lake can sustain over time without having negative consequences for the walleye population. Walleye harvest prior to 2002 had generally been below or near the harvest target. The proposed slot limit would have reduced harvest in 2002 and 2003 to a level close to the harvest target, while allowing harvest of smaller fish. The slot regulation would have protected about 10 percent of the walleye that were harvested in 2002 and 2003, or about 24 percent of the total pounds that were harvested (Figure 3).
The addition of the four-fish bag limit would add another layer of protection to the walleye population and help keep harvest at a safe level. Adding the fourfish bag would also make the regulation consistent with new regulations recently adopted on other large walleye lakes in Minnesota, including Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods, and Leech Lake. Combining slot regulations with bag reductions is often considered the approach most likely to meet management goals and maintain fishing quality.
There has also been increasing support in the angling community for a more restrictive walleye regulation on Lake Vermilion. Many anglers recognize the need for a more conservative approach to walleye harvest and have expressed support for a regulation change.
What is the goal of the proposed regulation?
The primary goal of the proposed regulation is to maintain walleye harvest at or near a sustainable harvest target of 65,000 pounds/ year. Keeping harvest at that level will help protect the walleye population from over-harvest. A secondary benefit of the proposed regulation might be an increase in the number of mature female walleye in the population, which could add to the stability of the fishery.
What will happen if the proposed regulation is not adopted?
The Lake Vermilion walleye population is currently in relatively good condition. Walleye gili net catches from annual population assessments have been above average for a number of years. Reproduction has been very good in recent years, with average to strong year classes produced in six of the seven years from 1997 to 2003. However, the current positive state of the walleye population may not be sustainable if fishing pressure and harvest remain high. Potential effects of extensive over-harvest could include inconsistent reproduction, highly variable walleye abundance, and lower angler catch rates. The proposed regulation will help contain walleye harvest at a level where the quality of the fishery can be sustained.
What is the time frame for the proposed regulation change?
Press releases will be sent out announcing the DNR proposal to the public. Public access sites and resorts will be posted in the spring of 2005 announcing a possible regulation change for the following year. Public input meetings will be held in the fall of 2005. State law requires meetings to be held in both the local area and the Twin Cities metropolitan area. If adopted, the new regulation would go into effect on May 13, 2006.
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Vermilion Outlet Dam
By Dana Gauthier - KNR Dam Specialist
Howe Lumber Company built the original dam at this location in 1892. The dam consisted of piled up loose rock. Shoreline property owners lowered that dam in 1913 when lake levels were too high. In the early 1950s judicial hearings were conducted to determine what could be done to raise the lake. As a result of those hearings, the present dam was built in 1955.
The objective for building the existing dam was to establish and permanently set a runout elevation as was determined in the judicial hearing.
The dam was constructed by building a temporary earthen dam halfway along the length and slightly upstream of the current dam location. This dam ran from the midpoint to the eastern shore and it allowed for work in dry conditions going from the midpoint to the eastern shore while the lake outlet flowed on the north side. Then the temporary dam was moved to protect the area from the midpoint to the western shore, then the other half of the dam was built. The permanent construction consisted of removing the existing boulders to about the surrounding lake bed elevation. Note that the bottom of the dam was built on a foundation of boulders which is very solid, but pervious. From the foundation up, concrete was mixed on site and placed by wheelbarrow over boulders, and then worked into the boulders with shovels. At the top of the dam, concrete was placed to create gradual smooth slopes running from the crest to the lakebed on both sides, so the upstream side should be a mirror of the visible downstream side.
A periodic (short) inspection was conducted in June of 2003. There was only one small crack that crossed the dam from the upstream side to the downstream side. For a dam of this size and with no reinforcing steel this indicates the dam has been very stable. We also noticed part of the leading edge of the upstream slope appeared to be missing and other parts were damaged. In addition, there was some weather-caused spelling of concrete along the crest on the north side.
In our office I did a file review and it appears it may have been built as it now appears, except for some deterioration on the upstream side that probably occurred between 1955 and 1960. Our concern with the dam now is twofold: spelling of concrete on the crest is changing the outlet shape and the missing concrete on the leading edge makes the dam more susceptible to ice damage.
We propose to place concrete on the upstream side to create or recreate the missing leading edge. The goal of the repair is to provide an ice ramp. We also plan to remove the damaged concrete along the crest and replace it with a new layer of concrete. The goal of this repair is to restore the design crest to original and the new concrete will slow the rate of concrete deterioration between the new repair and the lake bed. Instead of building a temporary dam as was done in 1955, we will try. pumping the concrete in place under water using a special concrete mix designed for this purpose. The repair will lengthen the seepage path through the boulder foundation, so an incidental decrease in seepage is expected. Our plan is to make repairs next summer to resolve both issues.
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Study finds chemicals linger
Common compounds stay in environment
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)The chemicals go down the drain, but in the environment they remain.
Researchers have found that a complex brew of everyday compoundsfrom products as ubiquitous as shampoo, bug spray and even that morning cup of coffeelingers in Minnesota waters even after they're showered off or dumped down the sink.
Those persistent chemicals include caffeine, synthetic musk used in personal-care products, a flame retardant, a herbicide, insect repellent and several medications, according to the most extensive study ever conducted of the state's waters.
Little is known about the risk of these compounds, especially at the low levels detected. But 13 of them are known to disrupt the hormones and sexual development of some fish or other animals, according to the study by three government agencies.
"Because they are a constant source, everyday aquatic organisms are bathed in these compounds, and I don't think anybody knows how that affects them," said Kathy Lee, a hydrologist for the United States Geological Survey and chief author of the study.
Scientists from the USGS, the Minnesota Department of Health and the state Pollution Control Agency found 74 chemicals at 65 sites across the state from late 2000 to 2002. The samples came from rivers and streams near municipal water supplies and sewage treatment plants, treated drinking water and water below landfills and livestock lagoons. The study did not attempt to identify the chemicals' sources.
The study, which cost $564,000, was presented at a conference here last month.
Many chemicals were found just downstream of sewage treatment plants at East Grand Forks, Rochester, Duluth and St. Paul.
At the main Twin Cities metro area plant in St. Paul, about 200 million gallons of wastewater are treated and released into the Mississippi River daily.
The treatment plants remove metals and several pollutants, but not many of the hormones, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals flushed from toilets or rinsed down drains. "We're not designed to remove these chemicals," said Rebecca Flood, environmental manager for the plant.
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North St Louis Soil and Water Conservation District Letter
February 7, 2005
Walt Moe, President
Sportsmen's Club of Lake Vermilion
3331 Nisen Drive
Tower, MN 55790
Dear Mr. Moe:
After coming across your website recently, I thought I would let your organization know about some of our services we provide that could be of assistance to your members. The North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District is a local agency which provides access to conservation and resource management services. In cooperation with federal, state and local agencies, the District provides technical assistance, cost-sharing and information and educational support on natural resource concerns.
Some of the areas of service that may be of interest include the following:
- Shoreline and streambank stabilization
- Lakeshore alterations
- Lake and stream sampling
- Forest stewardship planning
- Annual conservation tree sales
- Wetland determinations and assistance with wetland permitting
For more information about our services, please visit our website www.nslswcd.org, call us at 218/ 742-9505 or stop by our office in the Northland Building in Virginia.
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Julie C. Klejeski
Resource Conservationist
Northland Office Building
307 First Street South Suite 114
Virginia, MN 55792
Telephone: (218) 742-9505
email: klejeskij@co.st-louis.mn.us
www.nsiswcd.org
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Light Pollution -- Theft of the Night
From the International Dark Sky Association Website
1. Introduction: Have you looked up at-night lately? The universe is going away, gone already for many. The universe is an important part of the environment, to astronomy and to the general public.
For most people on earth, the dark skies our ancestors had have disappeared. The problem is urban sky glow, due mostly to too much bad lighting.
With good lighting, we all win. We help preserve the dark skies, we see better (and are safer and more secure), we have a more pleasant and comfortable nighttime environment, and we save a great deal of energy and money doing so. Neither astronomers nor the public, anywhere, need any of the adverse environmental effects of poor lighting.
II. Why night lighting? To see at night, for security, safety, utility, and for an attractive nighttime environment around us. But not all lighting is good lighting.
III. What are the adverse impacts of poor nighttime lighting?
- Urban sky glow (the brightening skies over our
heads), destroying our view of the universe. We
don't live up there in the sky; we don't need all that
light up there.
- Glare. Glare never helps visibility, but it is far too
common in all of our cities. We should strive for a
glare-free environment
- Light trespass. Many present lighting installations
bother us as much or more than they help. The
wasted light shines into our yards, our windows,
even our telescope buildings. As with noise pollu-
tion, we don't need any of this bad light.
- A trashy looking, confusing nighttime environment.
We should, all of us, be striving for a good-looking
nighttime environment, just as we should be doing in
the daytime. Such poor environments are part of the
stress of today's life. We should help with the
problem, not compound it. Remember, the night is
part of the environment too.
- Energy waste. We waste an astronomical amount of
energy and money by all this bad lighting, shining it
where it is not needed or wanted (including up into the sky) and by using energy inefficient light sources and lighting designs. Better to use such money for improving our world, not mucking it up.
We all suffer from these problems. But we need not.
IV. So What To Do?
- Use good lighting. Such quality designs are really all just common sense approaches to lighting. Let's not tolerate all the bad lighting; let's get rid of it.
- Shine the light down, where it is needed. Control the light output to locations where it is needed; don't waste it. Use quality lighting fixtures.
- Use time controls (or dimmers or other controls) to insure that light is there when needed, and not there when it is not.
- Design and install lighting to insure that glare is minimized. Most all glare comes from poor fixtures or poor installations. There is no need for any of it.
- Use the right amount of light for the task, not overkill. "More light" is not the approach to use. When not blinded by glare, the eye is a marvelous instrument and can see very well at what seems to be quite low lighting levels. In addition, going from overlit areas to darker areas means that we don't see too well (transient adaptation), and the opposite holds as well.
- Use energy efficient light sources. Light sources vary greatly in their efficiency. Consider especially the use of low pressure sodium lamps; they are the most efficient of all, and they are also strongly preferred by astronomers as the light output by LPS is essentially all one color and can be filtered out quite well. LPS is excellent for street lighting, parking lots, security lighting, and other applications where color rendering is not critical. Careful lighting design can be done using LPS for essentially any application.
"Something about the night sky causes us all, young and old, to ponder over the very basic questions. We are inspired and motivated."-- Kalpana Chawla In memory of the crew of STS-107 -- February 1, 2003
IDA, Inc.
3225 N. First Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719-2103
Telephone: 1 -520-293-3198 Fax: 520-293-3192
E-mail: ida@darksky.org
Web: www.darksky.org
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Dogs chasing and harassing wildIife is a serious problem
Conservation officers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are receiving a growing number of reports about dogs chasing and harassing deer.
Minnesota DNR Chief Conservation Officer Mike Hamm suggests that most dog owners are not aware of what their dogs are up to when the dogs are out roaming. And, he added, they're not being kind to the dog.
Conservation officers believe that people underestimate the potential for their dog to get into trouble. Many people do not believe that their dog would chase wildlife.
"People think it's great that their dogs can run," Hamm said. "But they don't know what the dogs do when they are out of sight. Because the dog is well mannered when the owner is around, the owner underestimates the potential for their pet to chase wildlife."
In reality, the dog is out there doing what dogs do following a scent and chasing down prey. Single dogs are usually not much of a problem to wildlife, but when they team up with neighbor dogs and form packs, the hunter/killer instinct surfaces and they become a serious threat to wild animals.
Domestic dogs chasing deer is a recurrent problem in Minnesota, according to Hamm. And it is particularly hazardous at this time of yearfor both the game animals and the dogs.
"Winter is an appropriate time to talk about the problem because big game animals are expending every bit of energy to stay alive and have a difficult time running through deep crusted snow," Hamm said. "Many does will also abort their fawns if too much stress is placed on them."
Hamm points out that a dog chasing game animals is especially bad for the wildlife when it is cold out. The dog is frisky, full of food, and ready to go. However, wildlife is out there 24 hours a day, burning a lot of energy just to stay alive.
"When dogs are loose, they naturally chase the wildlife," Hamm said. "It's devastating what a dog can do to an animal, especially when they kill it. The dogs are usually well fed at home, so most kills are not made because the dogs are hungry, but rather because of instinct and frenzy."
However, dogs do not always kill the animals. Dogs, in their domestication, have lost many of their instincts for making quick kills, and instead chase, harass and terrorize wildlife until the chased animal collapses in exhaustion.
For example, if a dog chases a deer, the dog often does not know what to do with it once they catch it, said Hamm. "Wolves are efficient killers, but dogs will bite the nose off and chew ears," he said. "The animal really suffers when the dog is just playing around."
The owner of a dog that kills or pursues a big game animal is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and is subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 for each violation.
According to state law, any conservation officer or peace officer has the option of killing a dog that is caught wounding, killing or pursuing in a manner that endangers a big game animal. In reality, this means the penalty to the dog can be death.
Between Jan. 1 and July 14, a person other than a peace officer or conservation officers may kill the dog. The officer or person is not liable for damages for killing the dog.
"People should be aware if their dog is loose, it could get shot by a neighbor who is unhappy about it running loose," Hamm said. "It may seem immoral, but sometimes people decide to take care of problems themselves. So there is not only a threat to wildlife, but the dog could get shot."
Hamm said that only after all efforts to contact a pet owner have failed would the dog be shot and killed by a conservation officer. "I hate to do it; I love dogs," he said. "I would rather issue a citation to the owner first."
The last thing a conservation officer wants to do is go talk to someone about controlling his or her dog, Hamm said.
"If people make a little extra effort, we wouldn't have these problems," he said. "The DNR doesn't perceive this as a dog problem. We perceive it as a people problem."
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Minnesota Cold
Big Chill. Minnesota's reputation for bone-chilling weather began when soldiers at Fort Snelling started measuring and recording temperatures in 1819. In letters home they no doubt spoke of bitterly cold weather. In modern times, media often cite Embarrass or Tower as the coldest places in the Lower 48 on a particular day.
Cold Reality. International Falls is the coldest major National Weather Service station outside Alaska. The city has an average annual temperature of only 37.5 F. On average the thermometer there dips to zero or below, 64 days each winter. In Roseau, also near the Canadian border, the average January temperature is almost a degree below zero (minus 0.7 F). The Twin Cities is the coldest major population center in the United States (45.4 F average annual), and one of the coldest in the world.
Why So Cold? Minnesota's relatively high latitude leads to long winter nights and only a glancing blow of sunlight during winter days. In the center of the continent, the state is far from the temperaturemoderating influence of oceans, and has no natural barriers to deflect invasions of Arctic air from the north or northwest.
How Cold Can It Get? Feb. 2,1996, just south of Tower in St. Louis County, a volunteer observer for the National Weather Service recorded an air temperature of minus 60 Fthe coldest official measurement ever made in Minnesota. Feb. 8, 1899, Roseau had an afternoon high of minus 39 F. This record-low daily high temperature occurred amid one of the longest, coldest spells in Minnesota's climate history. From Jan. 26 through Feb. 12, 1899, the temperature in Roseau never reached zero. Communities such as Roseau and International Falls claim cold-weather bragging rights because of their northern latitudes. Rival cold spots in Embarrass and Tower have monitoring stations in lowlying basins, which collect cold, dense air.
Wind Factor. The rate of heat loss from exposed skin depends on the combined impact of air temperature and wind. A "feels like" temperature calculation, called wind chill, indicates the atmosphere's cooling power. On Jan. 9 and 10, 1982, some northern Minnesota communities reported air temperatures near minus 30 F and wind speeds approaching 40 miles per hour. This bitter combination produced wind chills near minus 70 F. The formula in use at that time (it was changed in 2001) computed the wind chill to be an astounding minus 100 F.
Greg Spoden, DNR Waters climatologist, MINNESOTA CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER
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