From Don Amacher
Monroe
In the Monroe Times "Airport wary of wildlife" article, officials state, "The Monroe Airport has minimal problems with wildlife causing accidents on runways" but also say that various wildlife often come on to airport property, especially during deer rutting season.
The highest priority for the City of Monroe, as with every municipality, is public safety. To combat the so-called "minimal problems," with public safety, the Monroe Airport has obtained special wildlife killing permits for the WDNR for 12 years. By requesting these permits, the city and airport admit that for years to having more than "minimal problems"- there IS a public safety problem significant enough to require action. The action, hunters killing deer with high-powered rifles, is not the solution. The safest and most practical solution is to erect permanent fencing to protect human lives and costly aircraft from wildlife, as other airports have done successfully.
Because there is no fencing, pilots fear their lives are in danger when flying in and out of the airport. Despite what airport supervisor Driver claims, State and Federal wildlife officials and other airports report deer-proof fences definitely DO work: Per these officials, after the Rock County airport was appropriately fenced, only one deer every two years makes its way on to airport property and that up to 10 in some years have been killed (shot) at the Monroe Airport.
Per the "Cash or charge" article of February 28, 2011, Monroe has $5.2 million in undesignated reserve funds. The Monroe Airport Statement of Project Intentions for 2014 estimates the cost of installing airport fencing would be $375,000. Only 2.5 percent of that cost ($9,375) would be borne by the city; 97.5 percent of the cost would come from federal and state funds.
Since public funding is available for fencing, the Monroe should immediately apply for funding for wildlife-deterring fencing at the airport and keep applying until they receive it. It's a matter of public safety and should be one of the city's highest priorities.
I submitted comments regarding this article, complete with quotes form wildlife officials, research facts and statistics. The Monroe Times decided not to print it, stating various policy reasons. State and federal wildlife officials with whom I spoke agreed their statements to me are accurate and could be quoted. If you are interested in reading the entire article comment, go to www.airportfencing.info or please phone me at (608) 325-1166 for a copy.
Monroe
In the Monroe Times "Airport wary of wildlife" article, officials state, "The Monroe Airport has minimal problems with wildlife causing accidents on runways" but also say that various wildlife often come on to airport property, especially during deer rutting season.
The highest priority for the City of Monroe, as with every municipality, is public safety. To combat the so-called "minimal problems," with public safety, the Monroe Airport has obtained special wildlife killing permits for the WDNR for 12 years. By requesting these permits, the city and airport admit that for years to having more than "minimal problems"- there IS a public safety problem significant enough to require action. The action, hunters killing deer with high-powered rifles, is not the solution. The safest and most practical solution is to erect permanent fencing to protect human lives and costly aircraft from wildlife, as other airports have done successfully.
Because there is no fencing, pilots fear their lives are in danger when flying in and out of the airport. Despite what airport supervisor Driver claims, State and Federal wildlife officials and other airports report deer-proof fences definitely DO work: Per these officials, after the Rock County airport was appropriately fenced, only one deer every two years makes its way on to airport property and that up to 10 in some years have been killed (shot) at the Monroe Airport.
Per the "Cash or charge" article of February 28, 2011, Monroe has $5.2 million in undesignated reserve funds. The Monroe Airport Statement of Project Intentions for 2014 estimates the cost of installing airport fencing would be $375,000. Only 2.5 percent of that cost ($9,375) would be borne by the city; 97.5 percent of the cost would come from federal and state funds.
Since public funding is available for fencing, the Monroe should immediately apply for funding for wildlife-deterring fencing at the airport and keep applying until they receive it. It's a matter of public safety and should be one of the city's highest priorities.
I submitted comments regarding this article, complete with quotes form wildlife officials, research facts and statistics. The Monroe Times decided not to print it, stating various policy reasons. State and federal wildlife officials with whom I spoke agreed their statements to me are accurate and could be quoted. If you are interested in reading the entire article comment, go to www.airportfencing.info or please phone me at (608) 325-1166 for a copy.
