North Carolina's Endangered Warbler Elicits 'Jolt' from Dominion Power

Birds perching on power lines have hundreds of thousands of volts flowing under their feet, yet are not electrocuted because they have not created a closed circuit. However, power surges, or spikes in voltages in the lines, can cause an arc to occur between transmission lines wherein a closed circuit is created. Instances have been documented in which power surges caused thousands of perching birds to be simultaneously electrocuted and dislodged from power-lines. In one tragic instance, Mathew Boydstun, 28 was killed after his car was pummeled with hundreds of bird carcasses and lost control, careening into one of the towers. EPA officials have recently demanded that power companies install a dummy line in certain critical habitats, especially those which harbor the endangered Kirtlands Warbler (Dedroica kirtlandii) that would allow birds to perch in safety. In a power surge incident in March 2007, 37 of the estimated 2,700 remaining Kirtlands Warbers were electrocuted. The proposed installation of dummy perch lines would prevent both bird fatalities and potential human accidents.

State ecologist Erik Island has noted that the Warblers prefer to perch on the highest lines for visibility while traveling on their yearly migration. In these critical migration routes, dummy lines would need to be installed as the highest point on the towers. The estimated cost for this endeavor is 15.6 million dollars in the state of North Carolina alone, and the installation would also cause local power disruptions as the perch lines are installed. Dominion Power CEO Jeffery Gisham has demanded that the state subsidize such an effort, "We are very concerned about this risk to our consumers, the birds, and our equipment however, we're in the business of power, not birdhouses." Appeals have been made to the North Carolina supreme court with the case to be heard late this fall.