Faced with a potential health hazard to workers from the huge amounts of bird droppings, often 2 inches thick in places, NIPSCO sought assistance from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal Damage Control (ADC) in Lafayette. Complicating the problem was the presence of the peregrine falcon, listed as endangered in Indiana and throughout its range and protected under the Endangered Species Act. The dilemma: how to control the large starling and pigeon populations in a way that wouldnt adversely affect the peregrine, a bird of prey that is fond of feeding on pigeons.
After trying scare devices and other methods without success, NIPSCO and ADC began working with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Bloomington, Indiana, field office and Law Enforcement office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal agency in charge of administering the Endangered Species Act. Working together, the four groups developed a strategy to remedy NIPSCOs problem while minimizing risks to the endangered peregrine.
"Essentially, we put our heads together and went through our options. The key was NIPSCOs willingness to forego pigeon treatment and target only the starlings, which peregrines arent as likely to feed upon," explained Cindy Chaffee, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "By avoiding pigeon reduction activities for the time being, we reduced the already small likelihood that any toxic bird control agents would affect a food source for the peregrine."
Chaffee said additional precautions were taken to ensure that measures to control starlings would not affect pigeons, including using different food sources, feeding times, and feeding locations for starlings and pigeons.
"NIPSCO is very sensitive to the presence of protected species on our properties, and we go out of our way to enhance their habitat," said Gregory Quartucci, natural resource analyst and wildlife coordinator at NIPSCO. "We are pleased that we can address the health and safety concerns at the plant without affecting the peregrine falcon. We are also thankful that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could resolve this matter in a very timely fashion, which enabled us to address operational issues."
"These days, you hear a lot about endangered species and businesses at odds with each other," said Chaffee. "This is a just another good example of how the Endangered Species Act works the vast majority of the time. A little cooperation, common sense, and ingenuity solve almost every potential conflict. We applaud NIPSCO and ADC for their cooperative spirit in this effort to protect the peregrine falcon and our nations endangered species."
NIPSCO works closely with endangered species specialists from government agencies to avoid negative impacts on species that live within the companys service territory. NIPSCO has made great efforts to encourage the reintroduction of peregrine falcons to the northern Indiana area.
The IDNRs Division of Fish and Wildlife has released over 60 peregrines in Indiana in an attempt to rebuild nesting populations of the endangered bird. The peregrine spotted near the Wheatfield plant is a young, wild-hatched bird from Ohio, whose parents were reintroduced in that State.
Power plants attract peregrines because of the tall structures, open habitat, and abundant prey species they provide. IDNR biologists have worked with power plant managers to erect nest boxes for peregrines. Nest boxes are in place at three NIPSCO facilities, including, Schahfer, and a pair of falcons appears to have adopted a nest box at NIPSCOs Bailly Generating Station along Lake Michigan and will likely nest this year. Successful resolution of the starling control problems by NIPSCO and government agencies may lead to more opportunities to erect additional nest boxes and establish more nesting pairs of falcons in the state.
Peregrines were listed as endangered in 1970 after the presence of environmental contaminants virtually eliminated populations in the eastern United States and caused drastic declines of those in western states. Poisoning from pesticides such as DDT in food sources caused peregrines and other birds to lay eggs with shells so thin that they broke during incubation or otherwise failed to hatch. Following the 1972 ban on DDT, and recovery programs under the Endangered Species Act, such as Indianas reintroduction project, peregrines have begun to rebound. Populations are approaching recovery levels in some areas, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering removing peregrines from the endangered species list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
