Title
Urging the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Sports Facility Authority to design a bird-safe stadium.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul plays host to many seasonal migrant bird species, who rely on the metropolitan area for critical stop-over habitat each spring and fall; and,
WHEREAS, forty percent of all North American waterfowl use the Mississippi River as a navigational aid; and,
WHEREAS, on July 14, 2011, the City of Saint Paul, along with the City of Minneapolis, implemented the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Minnesota Audubon Society, the current design of the new stadium threatens to kill thousands of migratory birds; and,
WHEREAS, upgrading to bird-safe glass would add an estimated $1.1 million to the cost of the stadium, or 0.1% of the overall project budget of over $975 million; and,
WHEREAS, the taxpayers of the State of Minnesota are contributing $348 million for the construction of the stadium, and the interests of the people of Minnesota should be honored in the design of the stadium; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Minneapolis Stadium Implementation Committee unanimously adopted as a part of its final recommendations that "the design must comply with Minnesota Audubon guidelines for creating a bird safe structure…in addition, site lighting and exterior building illumination must comply with Minnesota Audubon guidelines for creating a bird safe environment;" and,
WHEREAS, in their comments on the stadium's Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources stated that "mitigation measures identified as a result of coordination with the Audubon Society should be included in the Final EIS"; and,
WHEREAS, ensuring that the stadium is bird-safe will improve visitor experience and be good for the Vikings and Minnesota Sports Facility Authority in the long run,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Cou...
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