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“Circle around,” says Laurie Spears, an environmental planner forTri-State. “2’oclock. Down the slope. Brown sticks in a snag.”

Two heads swivel simultaneously, eyes intently scanning thesouthern Colorado landscape in search of identifying factors asthe helicopter pilot maneuvers the aircraft to a position near asuspected nest sighting. Spears lifts a pair of binoculars to her eyesand upon further inspection, the avian biologist declares, “Allclear. Just dead branches.”

The pilot quickly abandons the hoveringposition and returns to the predetermined flightpath, crisscrossing the countryside along theright-of-way for the planned route of the secondphase of the Nucla-Sunshine project. The 51-mile,115-kilovolt transmission line, which will deliverpower to Tri-State member San Miguel PowerAssociation (Nucla, Colo.), is slated for comple-tion in the fall of 2012.

The objective of the flight is to survey theroute for raptor (eagles, hawks) nests to ensureTri-State is in compliance with the Migratory BirdTreaty Act (MBTA) and the Bald and GoldenEagle Protection Act (BGEPA), both federal laws.

Although this specific survey conducted inearly May 2011 focused on Tri-State’s Nucla-Sunshine project, the association’s environmentalteam conducts aerial and ground surveys on alltransmission construction projects prior to con-struction season to identify any raptor nests with-in a specified radius of project rights-of-way.

“The surveys are conducted to protect thesebirds, their nests and eggs or young,” said Spears.“By surveying in advance of construction, theteam can identify any nest locations to avoidthose areas until the young leave the nest, ensur-ing construction activities do not disturb thenesting birds.”

Three biologists are on board, includingSpears, for the May survey. The helicopter pilotflies at low speeds so the biologists can spot anyraptors or nests in the area. If the biologists locatea nest, they record a GPS point and take a photo-graph to document the sighting on the projectmaps. In an attempt to not agitate the birds, thepilot minimizes the time near the nests.

“In general, we try to implement a quarter tohalf-mile buffer, depending upon the species andtopography, for active nests,” Spears explained.“We don’t want the construction activities to dis-turb the nesting birds to the point where theycould abandon the nests, which would be consid-ered a violation of the MBTA/BGEPA.”

These air and ground surveys include areas inthe San Miguel Canyon, Beaver Mesa, Sperie Mesaand Wilson Mesa.

In addition to the May surveys, Spears, alongwith others, conducted one additional aerial sur-vey in 2011. The first, completed in April, coveredlower elevations. The latter session focused onhigher elevations and included a ground survey inaddition to the air. The ground survey was com-pleted in areas of the project area that includesdense vegetation.

Environmental monitors provide daily over-sight of the Nucla-Sunshine project to confirm allenvironmental requirements and protectionmeasures Tri-State has committed to are met.Should a nest be located later in the season, moni-tors are onsite to ensure the nest is protected.

The Nucla-Sunshine transmission line willimprove the reliability and quality of electricalservice to Telluride and a number of surroundingcommunities, while regionally help to serve theexisting and projected loads of three of Tri-State’scooperative members — San Miguel PowerAssociation, La Plata Electric Association andEmpire Electric Association. It will replace a 69-kilovolt line that was originally constructed in1948 and approaching the end of its useful life.

Story and photos by Nicole Carlson

Left, Laurie Spears scans the southern Coloradocountryside via helicopter for signs of raptors.Right, Spears and Lori Nielson, an avian biologistwith EDM International, Inc., prepare to board thehelicopter to conduct a raptor survey through SanMiguel Canyon, pictured just above.

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Focus on community

In our next issue . . .More than 25 teachers representing Tri-State member co-ops

from northern Wyoming to southern New Mexico will be partici-pating in “CSI: Climate Status Investigations,” a one-of-a-kindteacher professional development institute. The workshop ispresented by Tri-State in partnership with the nonprofit KeystoneCenter, a think tank founded in 1975 to solve society's mostchallenging environmental, energy and public health issues.

Learn more about the initiative through coverage in the nextissue of Network.

Tri-State’s EEC program helps light Wiggins, Colo.

With the help of financial incentives from Tri-State’s Energy Efficiency Credits program, membersystem Morgan County Rural Electric Association(Fort Morgan, Colo.) has brightened the streets ofWiggins, Colo., with a community service project thatupgraded 57 of the town’s mercury vapor street lightsto high efficiency, low maintenance LED lights.

The installation, completed by Morgan CountyREA personnel, was done at no cost to the smallfarming community of 1,000 people and serves as anopportunity for the co-op to “showcase new electrictechnologies to our consumers,” said Dave Henderson, director of external affairsfor the electric co-op.

Last year, with the support of Tri-State’s EEC program, Morgan County REAwas one of the first co-ops in the region to promote and demonstrate a heat pumpelectric water heater installed in one of the homes of its consumers. “We are nowtalking to one of our local dairy operators for the possible installation of anothercommercial LED lighting project on our system,” added Henderson.

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FA

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In addition to an aerial raptor survey, a team comprised of (leftto right) John Cummings and Lori Nielson, EDM International,Inc., John Toolen, BIO-Logic, Inc., and Laurie Spears, Tri-State,scoured the land on foot in Muddy Creek, located on the WilsonMesa near Telluride, Colo., for signs of hawks and eagles.