Artificial Night Lighting – request for published literature or proven best practices for minimizing environmental Impacts associated with artificial night lighting.

Subject Line: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Artificial Lighting Impacts Best Management Practices Publication: Literature Inquiry

This inquiry regards literature on avoiding and reducing artificial lighting impacts on natural night skies and dark environments. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to develop a library of best management practices (BMPs) for avoiding and reducing artificial lighting impacts on natural night skies and dark environments. You have been identified as someone potentially interested in and knowledgeable about the impacts of artificial outdoor lighting on environmental and socioeconomic resources.

If you or your colleagues have literature resources (books, articles, web sites, research reports, white papers, journal papers, etc.) or other forms of information that you believe the BLM should consider and are willing to share for developing the artificial lighting BMPs publication, please forward the information by _____________ to or contact:

Robert Sullivan

Environmental Science Division

Argonne National Laboratory

9700 S. Cass Ave. EVS/240

Argonne IL 60439

630-252-6182

[email protected]

If you plan on forwarding information, then sending a reply of your intent by __________ will also be appreciated.

If you have general questions about the artificial lighting BMPs project, please contact the BLM Project Manager:

Noelle Glines-Bovio

Bureau of Land Management 

Wyoming State Office

VRM/ NLCS State Lead 

5353 Yellowstone Rd

Cheyenne, WY 82009

307-775-6035

[email protected]

Background

BLM-administered public lands are increasingly used for activities, developments, and visitor services that require outdoor lighting. Artificial outdoor lighting can affect ecological, cultural, scientific, recreational, and scenic resources and can have unintended consequences on community economies. In addition to resource impacts, lighting that cause nighttime glare can create unsafe conditions within outdoor work environments and have health-related effects on people living nearby.

With assistance from Argonne National Laboratory, the BLM is currently developing a technical publication on BMPs for avoiding and reducing artificial lighting impacts on natural night skies and dark environments. The artificial lighting BMPs publication will provide comprehensive technical guidance on practical methods for reducing impacts from artificial lighting associated with BLM-managed land uses. The publication is intended for use by BLM field personnel, industry proponents, and other stakeholders.

BLM is seeking information that may be helpful for developing a high-quality artificial lighting BMPs publication, including information about artificial lighting impacts and potential mitigation measures applicable to artificial lighting impacts on:

1. Outdoor recreation experience (including scenic values and sense of remoteness);

2. Science and education (e.g., astronomy/ stargazing);

3. Historic/cultural/tribal values;

4. Animal habitats and behavior (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, insects);

5. Human health and safety; and

6. Security and law enforcement.

Information is sought on impacts and potential mitigation measures from lighting associated with customary BLM land use development and activities, including authorized land uses owned and/or operated by others outside of the BLM, such as the development and operation of communication facilities, renewable energy generation development, oil and gas drilling and production, electrical transmission lines, electrical substations, coal and gas fired power plants, hard rock and mineral mining, recreation activities, etc., and facilities owned/leased and operated by the BLM such as fire facilities, ware-yards, office buildings, visitor centers, campgrounds, etc.

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to your colleagues. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Robert Sullivan

Environmental Science Division

Argonne National Laboratory