New Manual Provides State-of-the-Art Guidance for Reducing Avian Collisions with Power Lines

powerline collision

Gainesville, FL — Normandeau is pleased to announce that the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) jointly released the 2012 edition of the manual Reducing Avian Collisions with Power Lines--a project led by Normandeau Associates. The manual was first published by APLIC and Edison Electric Institute (EEI) in 1994 under the title Mitigating Bird Collisions with Power Lines.

The 2012 edition provides electric utilities, wildlife agencies, and other stakeholders with up-to-date guidance for reducing bird collisions with power lines. This is especially important given the need to reduce bird injury and mortality, comply with bird protection laws, and enhance the reliability of electrical energy delivery. "We combined the expertise of APLIC members with that of our senior avian ecologists and communications staff for research, writing, and reviews. Working together this way, we produced a manual that is technically accurate and user-friendly," says project manager Karen Hill, a senior technical editor-writer with Normandeau.

"The manual has been updated to our current understanding of avian collision interactions and management strategies to reduce risk and is supported by published literature as well as reports and research from electric utilities and wildlife agencies," says lead author James Newman, PhD, a senior principal scientist with Normandeau. The 2012 edition has 7 chapters, plus appendices, including an overview of power lines, progress made on collision issues, and compliance with avian regulations as well as expanded information on modifying existing power lines, planning new power lines, and line marking to reduce collisions. Discussions on susceptibility of birds to collisions and variability in reported mortality rates have been added. A detailed appendix covers field study design, including site-specific considerations, calculating mortality rates, and accounting for sampling biases. Newman notes that "The manual is now international in scope, including discussions on progress in reducing avian collisions in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Africa as well as discussions on Canadian regulations and international policies and agreements."

"The collision manual is the second of two major APLIC documents that Normandeau has contributed to--the first being Suggested Practices for Avian Protection on Power Lines, a manual on reducing avian electrocutions," says Newman. Other project leaders on the 2012 edition included APLIC members, lead editor Dave Bouchard, DVM, MPH, with American Electric Power, and science editor Misti Sporer (Schriner), a biologist with Western Area Power Administration. Other contributing authors and reviewers included APLIC members from electric utilities across the nation and in Canada. Normandeau also provided project coordination, technical editing, and facilitation. "We worked with a team of more than 20 contributors and reviewers to update the manual," says Hill. The USFWS provided federal review of the manual as well as contributions throughout the process via APLIC member Al Manville, PhD, a senior wildlife biologist.

The 2012 edition of Reducing Avian Collisions with Power Lines was sponsored by EEI and APLIC and is available from www.aplic.org.

See the joint APLIC--USFWS news release:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Avian Power Line Interaction Committee Press Release


To order:
Click to order the new manual

About Normandeau Associates, Inc.
Normandeau Associates, Inc., is one of the largest science-based environmental consulting firms in the U.S., serving private and public sectors with specialized ecological and communications services. Founded in 1970, it is a trusted leader in delivering sound, innovative scientific solutions to a global clientele.

For more than 40 years, Normandeau has earned a reputation for excellence in understanding and solving complex natural resource and permitting issues within the energy industry. We have been developing scientific tools to meet the demand for new, cost-effective ways to identify and address wildlife issues. This is evidenced by our innovative technology systems and services:

  • Acoustic Thermographic Offshore Monitoring (ATOM) system for wildlife surveys
  • Remote Bat Acoustic Technology (ReBAT) system for data collection and monitoring
  • Turb'N Tag technology for fish survival studies
  • Remote Condor Observation Network (ReCON) early detection system
  • Aerial High Resolution Imaging team with APEM Ltd. of Manchester, England

Headquartered in Bedford, New Hampshire, with offices nationwide, Normandeau is 100% employee owned. For more information please  visit www.normandeau.com.

Ms. Karen Hill
Senior Technical Editor-Writer

Dr. Jim Newman
Senior Principal Scientist

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