Orange County NC Website
64 <br />Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation <br />�J A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative _ <br />General Office: P.O. Drawer 1179 • Hillsborough, NC 27278 • (919) 732 -2123 • Fax: (919) 644 -1030 <br />Branch Office: P.O. Box 1327 • 5135 Oxford Road • Roxboro, NC 27573 • (336) 599 -0151 Fax: (336) 597 -9088 <br />NC Toll Free: 1- 800 -222 -3107 • Web Address: www.pemc.org <br />August 23, 2006 <br />Glenn, <br />Here are the answers to the environmental assessment questions concerning the Piedmont <br />EMC tower at 2500 Highway 86 South. <br />1) The electro magnetic transmission signals: <br />The proposed tower will not exceed the FCC peak power limits. PEMC will meet all <br />local, state, and federal requirements regarding construction, height, location, and <br />transmit power levels. The FCC has stated that base stations need evaluation for peak <br />equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) in excess of 1,640 watts or antennas <br />mounted less than 10 meters from the ground. Neither criterion will apply to this site. <br />2) The visual impact of the tower: <br />Christina Moon was contacted on the 15a` of August relating to any cultural or historic <br />concerns relating to the new tower. I have not heard back from her at this time. At the <br />time the office and tower were constructed, a Borrower's Environmental Report (BER) <br />was completed per the Rural Utilities Services requirements. The BER covers any <br />threaten and endangered species and none were found within the property boundaries. <br />The BER also covers any cultural or historic sites and again none were identified. <br />3) Bird migration patterns: <br />There are 227 species of Neotropical migratory birds listed in documented <br />telecommunication tower bird kills and all but 28 are listed in the Chapel Bill Bird Club's <br />inventory. Species found within Orange County represent 88% of all species <br />documented in the tower kills, and over 97% of the total birds listed. Most of the <br />Neotropical migratory birds of North America migrate through Orange County or are <br />commonly found within the area. <br />Mgration occurs over a broad front in May and September - October across the Triangle _ <br />region. Orange County does not seem to have a significant migratory flight pattern. Most <br />species migrate fairly evenly across the county and can stop over wherever there are <br />woods, according to local experts. <br />Serving Orange, Person, Caswell, Alamance, Durham, and Granville Counties <br />