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• Oracle Dark Skies Committee formed in early April 2014

• Local Residents

• Local Business Owner

• Park Rangers & Volunteers

• Working closely with Oracle State Park and Friends of Oracle State Park to have OSP designated as an “International Dark Sky Park” (IDSP) by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA)

• Oracle State Park will become the firstArizona State Park to be so honored

• Other Parks will follow our lead

• Who is Mike Weasner?

• BS degree in Astrophysics (Indiana University)

• Active amateur astronomer for many decades

• Former Air Force A-7D fighter pilot & T-38 instructor pilot

• Former manager USAF Space Shuttle Program

• Senior manager large aerospace company (retired)

• Purchased land in Oracle in 2004; moved to Oracle in 2009

• Have my own astronomical observatory (small)

• Chair, Oracle Dark Skies Committee

• Phone: 520-289-3402 Email: mweasner@mac.com

What is an “International Dark Sky Park”

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and why is it important?

• What is an “International Dark Sky Park”?

• International Dark-Sky Association, based in Tucson, has been active for a quarter century in educating the public, businesses, and government agencies on the problems caused by “light pollution”

• As part of the IDA’s commitment to reducing the effects of light pollution, they created the International Dark Sky Parks (IDSP) Program

• IDSP sites are “a park or other public land possessing exceptional starry skies and natural nocturnal habitat where light pollution is mitigated and natural darkness is valuable as an important educational, cultural, scenic, and natural resources.”

• Many locations around the USA and the world have already achieved IDSP status

• Benefits of being a “Dark Sky Park”

• “Achieving this designation brings recognition of the efforts a park has made towards protecting dark skies. It will raise the awareness of the park, staff, visitors, and the surrounding community. Designation as an IDA DSP (Dark Sky Park) entitles the park to display the IDA DSP logo in official park publications and promotions, and use of this logo by commercial or other groups within the community when identifying the park area itself (e.g. an organization can say “located in Cherry Springs State Park, an IDA DSP” or other words to the same effect). IDA will maintain a web page identifying and describing all IDA DSPs. The park agency may also identify IDA as a park partner and erect a public sign in the park announcing the dark sky park status.”

• Increased opportunities for science projects by local schools

• Local economic benefits from increased visitation to Oracle State Park and the community of Oracle

• County-wide economic and public relations benefits from having an International Dark Sky Park in Pinal County

• Long term health, environmental, and economic benefits from reducing Light Pollution within Pinal County through education of residents, business owners, and elected officials

• Requirements to become an IDSP:

• Have an area available for nighttime access, with minimal lighting

• Provide an exceptional dark sky resource

• Have a commitment to public education

• Public Outreach

• Light Pollution Control/Restoration Community Projects

• Meet a specified night sky quality (Gold, Silver, or Bronze)

• IDA "Dark Sky Park Program Criteria" (http://www.darksky.org/idsp/Guidelines/IDSP%20Guildelines%20Final-May13-BP.pdf) discusses the requirements in detail

• Oracle State Park meets all the requirements

ODSC is working to make the “International Dark Sky Park” designation a reality

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Support by local businesses, elected officials, and residents is essential

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Volunteers collected OSP documents and data, contacted local businesses and residents, and prepared the OSP IDSP Nomination Package

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Once designation is achieved, volunteer and local support is key to maintaining the IDSP

designation

OSP IDSP Status

• Oracle Dark Skies Committee met frequently on Thursdays, 6:30pm, OSP Kannally Ranch House from April 2014 through July 2014

• Documented Oracle State Park IDSP compliance

• Collected supporting documentation

• Inventoried Oracle State Park outdoor lighting

• Improvements were made

• Did Night Sky Quality measurements & photographs

• Prepared IDSP Nomination Package

• Obtained “Letters of Support” to include in Package

• Elected Officials

• Business Leaders

• Arizona State Parks management

• Local Residents

• Plan to establish OSP IDSP Sponsorship Program

• Monetary donations will be made to the Friends of Oracle State Park, a 501(c)(3) entity

• Sponsors expected to comply with current Pinal County Outdoor Lighting Code (2.195) & IDA Guidelines

• Comply with upgraded lighting designs even if grandfathered under older lighting designs

• Draft Nomination Package Released for Review 18 June 2014

• Final Nomination Package submitted to IDA 18 July 2014

• IDSP designation expected Fall 2014

• We anticipate broad media coverage of the award to Oracle State Park

What is

“Light Pollution”?

USA at Night

USA at Night 500,000 Years Ago

Newly Declassified Satellite Photo

• “Light Pollution” isLighting that is aimed horizontally or upward, typically unshielded (bulb visible), brighter than it needs to be, and/or shines beyond where and when it is needed

• Some other terms are used to describe such lighting

• Light Nuisance

• Light Trespass

• Artificial Light at Night (ALAN)

• Eliminating light pollution does NOT mean “no light”

• It DOES mean to be smart when using outdoor lighting

What’s Wrong with This?

Lighting for Security?

Lighting for Security?

Is this Lighting Necessary?

Why is Light Shining Up?

Moths Trapped by Light

Bats Trapped by Luxor Sky Beam

Even Ballfields can be Improved

• Light pollution certainly impacts the science of astronomy

• An important business in Arizona:~$300 Million/Yr~$2 Billion in facilities

• BUT, there are more serious and costly impacts from pervasive light pollution

• Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) causes many well documented negative impacts and wastes over 2 Billion dollars a year in the US alone

• Medical Profession: Circadian Disruption research finding ties to breast & prostrate cancer, obesity, diabetes, blood pressure problems, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and more

• Security Profession: Don’t provide light OR shadows for criminals to use

• Environmentalists: Impacts on wildlife

• Governments: Cost of over-lighting and wasted energy, with no demonstrated improvement in safety/security

• Businesses: Reduce energy costs, increase profits orpass the savings on to their customers, increase safety/security

• Homeowners: Increase security, reduce costs, and improve property value

“Light Pollution Control/Restoration Community

Projects”

As part of the ODSC “Light Pollution Control/Restoration Community Projects”, we ask local businesses and residents to upgrade outdoor lighting to be compliant with the current Pinal County Code 2.195 on Outdoor Lighting

• Example fixtures (Pinal County Code 2.195)

• Good

• Not As Good

• Bad

• Really Bad

More Good Lighting

Examples !

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!

Many Dark-Sky Compliant

fixtures available from

Lowe’s & Home Depot

• Important requirements (Pinal County Code 2.195)

• Every project in all lighting zones shall be encouraged to reduce as much as possible the amount of outdoor lighting that operates after 10:00 p.m., except as permitted in PCDSC 2.195.040. All nonsecurity lighting shall be turned off by 10:00 p.m. or within one hour after close-of-business, whichever is later. A nighttime reduction of at least 50 percent in overall LD or LPD is required. All non-full cutoff luminaires in lighting zones 1 and 2 shall be included in the fixtures being turned off.

• Non-full-cutoff and nonfully shielded incandescent luminaires of greater than 150 watts, and all other luminaire types of greater than 70 watts, that were installed prior to the adoption of the chapter are considered to be nonconforming, and shall possess an automatic control device that turns the luminaires off between midnight and sunrise.

• Gas Stations/Convenience Stores. Fuel canopy luminaires shall be recessed into the canopy ceiling, with a lens that is flat and flush to the ceiling (the fixture access door can protrude below the ceiling). Metal halide canopy lighting is allowed in all lighting zones. In the event that the canopy is located within 150 feet of a property line that is zoned as residential, the canopy fascia shall be extended to a minimum depth of 12 inches below the canopy ceiling. Exposed light sources (such as neon or fluorescent) on the canopy are not allowed.

• All sport courts shall be lighted with full-cutoff luminaires, and are to utilize “on” and “off” user-accessible push-buttons so that the lighting does not operate unless the courts are in actual use. Automatic time-clocks or other programmable controllers are to be used, and shall turn off all nonsecurity lighting at a time in accordance with the applicable lighting zone, except for sports field lighting, which may stay on to as late as 11:00 p.m. when a formal game is in progress, except as permitted under PCDSC 2.195.090.

• Equestrian Areas. All new luminaires must be full-cutoff, fully shielded, or partially shielded, to the satisfaction of planning staff. All equestrian areas and sport court luminaires must be turned off when not in use.

• The Committee will want to take “Before” and “After” photographs

• Community Projects continue even after designation is received

• For more information on lighting improvements, see

• Pinal County Code 2.195 on Outdoor Lighting: http://www.codepublishing.com/AZ/pinalcounty/html/PinalCounty02/PinalCounty02195.html#2.195

• IDA Practical Guide: http://www.darksky.org/assets/documents/PG3-residential-lighting.pdf

Everyone Can Help!

How does Oracle

State Park currently

rate?

Community Support by Residents, Businesses, and Elected Officials

will help Oracle State Park

“Go for the Gold”

www.weasner.com/Gold