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CPA, USDA to study wildlife hazards at CNMI airports
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Posted on Mar 20 2005
The Commonwealth Ports Authority has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Authority to conduct a wildlife hazard assessment at CNMI airports.
With an estimate cost of about $50,000, the project aims to complete within 12 months field assessments of wildlife hazards at the Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
CPA executive director Carlos Salas said the project specifically aims to study how to control nuisance mammals and bird species that are hazardous to aviation.
Starting this month, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services will train selected CPA employees to conduct wildlife counts at each airport. Counts will be conducted by CPA staff on three days per month, twice daily.
A Wildlife Services biologist will visit each airport at a maximum of six weeks interval over the duration of the agreement to quality control data collection and review count procedures.
At the end of the 12-month data collection period, Wildlife Services biologists will summarize and analyze the field data, and complete a written wildlife hazard assessment that meets Federal Aviation Administration standards.
The write up and submission of the assessments are expected to be completed by June 30, 2006.
For its part, CPA will finance the project and provide logistical and administrative support to the Wildlife Services biologists working on the project.
Of the $49,652 budget, salary and benefits comprise $30,852; lodging and per diem $8,700; airfare $4,000; and vehicle rental and miscellaneous field supplies, $6,000.
