During the last fall, several cases of bird mortality were reported which was caused by the contaminated open-pit mine located in Montana. With the recent developments to act on the issue, new measures were approved on Friday.
According to an article in ABC News, federal officials made an official statement regarding the new measures set to protect the birds in the area near the Montana pit. These measures included the likes of noise-making cannons and laser systems which will help in signaling the birds.
Aside from the aforementioned measures, the federal officials also imparted that they would use other technologies to be used in hazing the birds away from the toxic water such as but not limited to strobe lights, remote-controlled boats, and aircraft. Although these technologies are promising, their deployment will take some time according to Nikia Greene, the project manager of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Greene emphasized that not all of the technologies can be deployed instantly since some will need more paper works and regulatory approvals.
Greene also added that they wanted to act on the issue as soon as possible to avoid having bird deaths caused by the contaminated pit in Montana. She also shared that they would soon deploy those that would be easily available just like the noise-making cannons.
In an article in Wyoming Tribune, it was revealed that the said conservation measures were a collaborative proposal coming from the Montana Resources and Atlantic Richfield Corporation. Several states and community groups also contributed in the quest to solve this issue in the rising bird mortality in the Montana pit.
In November 2016, a whopping 4,000 migrating snow geese died when they accidentally landed in the Montana pit which was filled with million gallons of toxic material. Greene stresses that actions must be made as soon as possible to avoid the same incident to recur.
