NIGHT SKY AND DARK ENVIRONMENTS: BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AT NIGHT ON BLM-MANAGED LANDS TECHNICAL NOTE 457 2 of public lands, predominantly in western states, including Alaska. Throughout the nation, the BLM also administers approximately 710 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the BLM manages public lands for a variety of uses, including, but not limited to, livestock grazing, energy development, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation, while conserving natural, cultural, and historic resources. Section 102(a)(8) of FLPMA directs the BLM to manage the public lands “in a manner that will protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological…and archeological values...and provide for outdoor recreation and human occupancy and use.” BLM-managed public lands are some of the least developed areas in the United States. Exterior lighting is often used on facilities to provide site security, worker and visitor safety, and activity support. Outdoor lighting at night can cause light pollution, which is a growing public concern that can be addressed by following lighting best practices. This technical note provides a collection of best management practices (BMPs) to assist decisions about nighttime lighting on BLM-managed lands to reduce contributions to light pollution that impairs the visible clarity of night skies, negatively impacts wildlife, and affects human health and wellbeing. For purposes of this technical note, light pollution is any adverse effect of manmade lighting, such as excessive illumination of the night sky by artificial light. Light pollution is an undesirable consequence of outdoor lighting that includes such effects as skyglow, light trespass, light clutter, over-illumination, and glare. Night skies and dark environments are an important quality of scenic, historic, cultural, scientific, recreational, and ecological values. Applying lighting BMPs minimizes light pollution contributed by public land management activities. This technical note provides BLM staff, industry, and other stakeholders with proven, effective, and vetted BMPs to provide safe and efficient operations at night while preserving the night sky and dark environments in proximity of BLM-managed lands by limiting light pollution sources. This technical note is intended primarily for use by BLM realty, recreation, minerals, and resource program staff. It can serve as a helpful reference to staff in other agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and others with an interest in night skies and natural darkness protection. The proactive incorporation of artificial light at night BMPs into the planning of federal actions will likely result in a more efficient environmental review process, increase operating efficiency, reduce long-term operating costs, reduce final reclamation needs, and cause minimal impact to the environment. Applying lighting best practices is encouraged on facilities managed by the BLM (e.g., office buildings, fire stations, recreation sites) and facilities that support authorized permitted uses (e.g., wind, solar, and geothermal energy generation; energy transmission; fluid and hardrock mineral extractive activities; communication towers; recreation uses such as camping and hiking). The BMPs are written for easy incorporation into project plans to address lighting issues with specific projects. The BMPs were compiled from a variety of sources, including guidance documents developed by various government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, professional practice literature, consultation with BLM staff and other subject matter experts, and field observation. This technical note is intended to: • Improve understanding of night sky and natural darkness values and their importance in the context of BLM land use management activities. • Improve understanding of outdoor night lighting and how artificial lighting can contribute light pollution that affects a variety of resources found on or near BLM-managed lands.
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