Ohio Department of Natural Resources Letters on Environmental Impacts and Recommendations for Smart City Development and 5G Related Fiber optic
Environmental Health Trust is sharing two letters from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources regarding environmental impacts from Smart City Development and 5G Related Fiber Optic Deployment. Both letters detail the various environmental issues and the Fish and Wildlife Division recommends “that impacts to streams, wetlands and other water resources be avoided and minimized to the fullest extent possible, and that Best Management Practices be utilized to minimize erosion and sedimentation.”
The Letter on the Forest Park Ohio Fiber Optic Line states :“Due to the potential of impacts to federally listed species, as well as to state listed species, we recommend that this project be coordinated with the US Fish & Wildlife Service.”
The Ohio Department of Environment Letter regarding Fiber optic was spurred after “small” cell towers began popping up in Ohio. WCPO News found that it was Verizon.
“A Verizon corporate spokesman, David Weissmann, confirmed to WCPO that the company is installing 5G towers in the Cincinnati area — as he says one of the 30 cities that will soon have Verizon 5G service.”
DOWNLOAD LETTERS
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources Environmental Review on Smart City Development in Madisonville Ohio
- Letter from Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Environmental Review of Forest Park Ohio Fiber Optic Line
Excerpts
“ The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has completed a review of the above referenced project. These comments were generated by an inter-disciplinary review within the Department. These comments have been prepared under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act..
The entire state of Ohio is within the range of the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), a state endangered and federally endangered species, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), a state endangered and federally threatened species, the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), a state endangered species, and the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), a state endangered species. During the spring and summer (April 1 through September 30), these species of bats predominately roost in trees behind loose, exfoliating bark, in crevices and cavities, or in the leaves.
The project is within the range of the trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator), a state threatened bird. Trumpeter swans prefer large marshes and lakes ranging in size from 40 to 150 acres. They like shallow wetlands one to three feet deep with a diverse mix of plenty of emergent and submergent vegetation and open water. If this type of habitat will be impacted, construction should be avoided in this habitat during the species’ nesting period of April 15 through June 15. If this habitat will not be impacted, this project is not likely to have an impact on this species.
Due to the potential of impacts to federally listed species, as well as to state listed species, we recommend that this project be coordinated with the US Fish & Wildlife Service.”
