Grant: 06-003C
Project Title: Street Light Pollution - Reduction
Project Manager: Ed Gardulski
Organization: City of Cape Canaveral (Florida Government)
Grant Amount: $8,920.00
Completion Date: 2006-10-25
Summary: In an effort to reduce the negative effects of artificial lighting pollution on sea turtle nesting and sea turtle hatchling mortality rates, the City proposes to take aggressive measures. In general, the goals and objectives of the measures are to reduce the negative effects of artificial lighting pollution as much as practicable by utilizing the best pollution-reduction technologies available. The City Public Works Director and Code Enforcement Officer recently conducted a comprehensive lighting inspection along the beach within the City limits and noted both public and private lights that are not in compliance with Federal and State guidelines, and a City ordinance concerning artificial lighting as it relates to sea turtles. The City has identified 65 public streetlights within the City limits that will require corrective action. Therefore, the City proposes to contract with Florida Power & Light (FPL) to correct the artificial lighting issues by installing cutoff lenses and/or shields (retrofitting) at each of the 65 identified streetlights. In addition, as a cost saving measure, the City will provide all documents/personnel for the maintenance of traffic (MOT) during the retrofitting activities. A detailed listing of each of the 65 lights to be retrofitted and the specific retrofitting activities for each streetlight is attached. 
Results: The project has been completed on-time and the project work has been completed within budget. Retrofitted existing streetlights with cutoff lenses and/or shields by September 30, 2006 - all lights brought into compliance with existing Federal, State, and local guidelines. Future project tasks: Future monitoring of lights (i.e., conduct site visits to ensure no damage to light lenses and shields - inspect once per year prior to turtle nesting season and after hurricanes). The following tasks were completed: Eliminated the negative effects of artificial lighting pollution (from beachside streets) on sea turtle nesting along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline (shoreline length of approximately 1.9 miles); Eliminated the negative effects of artificial lighting pollution (from beachside streets) on sea turtle hatchlings within the City limits (decreased the overall mortality rate of sea turtle hatchlings); and Photographs of all lights (before and after project activities) were obtained to (1) document project work and (2) develop lighting database for future annual monitoring purposes. (Author: Ed Gardulski)