SUMMER 2019

Environmental impacts of the proposed Edgewood stadium

David H. Thompson | Wingra Watershed News, Friends Of Lake Wingra

Edgewood High School intends to improve their Goodman Athletic Complex by adding increased seating and other amenities, along with adding a permanent PA system and lights for night games. In support, they submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) dated Jan 10, 2019. The project is strongly opposed by about 80 percent of nearby residents. The controversy arises from possible impacts of the proposed sound amplification and the new lights for night games, because this is no ordinary stadium environment.

The closest residential property is only 148 feet from the edge of the football field, while wetlands along the shore of Lake Wingra are only 0.21 miles distant. The lake is highly valued for its wilderness ambience. It’s mostly surrounded by the UW Arboretum, parks, and the Zoo. When paddling on the lake, urban landscape is invisible. At night, it’s magical to paddle or walk around its shores, listening to owls or watching fireflies pursue their mates. When so few quiet and dark places can still be found, the lake is indeed a precious resource.

The EIA’s overall conclusion is: “No significant environmental impacts are identified”. This prediction flows from their conclusion that very little of anything will escape from the field into the neighborhood.

Impacts of proposed loudspeakers
Edgewood High proposes “directional” speakers pointed towards the stands and away from neighbors. However, sound does not travel in straight lines—it can bend around obstacles, pass through walls, and be reflected. While the speakers will face away from close neighbors, the sound they project will bounce off the stadium and especially the large buildings behind the stadium, creating annoying echoes.

Gradations in air temperature and wind can bend sound. For example, on a summer night, the air near the ground quickly cools, while air higher up remains warm. This gradient means that sound that might normally escape upward can bend back toward the neighborhood, increasing sound intensity. It also means that under certain conditions sound can travel over sound barriers and back to ground level, rendering the barriers less effective.

Madison’s noise ordinance sets a limit on sound levels reaching residential properties at 65 dBA. Ethan Brodsky found noise from the unimproved stadium frequently exceeded the 65 dBA limit during practice games with small numbers of spectators. The highest level—84 dBA—was measured this spring by Marie Trest during a game with 150-200 spectators.

Impacts of proposed lighting
The EIA evaluates four banks of lights on 80-foot poles, directed down towards the field. They praise the technology of these new LED lights that are supposed to minimize spillover to the neighborhood or sky, sending most of their light to illuminate the field.

But light is not so well-behaved in the real world. First of all, not all of the light will reach the field— some will be scattered in all directions by dust and moisture. The remaining light, even if perfectly aimed at just the field, will bounce off the field and players, into the sky and neighborhood.

Brodsky said: “In their application to the City, Edgewood HS included upward-facing lights (called “punt lights”) that would violate the City’s dark-sky ordinance, but did not mention that they were upward-facing in either the EIA or the light application.”

Unfortunately, this escaping light— creating a glow overhead and illumination equivalent to twilight in the neighborhood, will be an unhealthy color. Edgewood is proposing LED lights with a color temperature of 5700K. These lights actually emit lots of blue—and blue light has the greatest impact on the biological clock of humans, leading to potential insomnia, weight gain, and other unhealthy effects. The AMA recommends a color temperature of 3000K or less.

Even very low levels of light pollution can have profound effects. Under the forest canopy, on a cloudy night, it’s extremely dark. Add scattered light from the stadium, and predators can now see their prey. Animals or people looking toward the stadium will lose their dark adaptation.

Impacts on wildlife and natural values
The EIA concludes: “Long-term adverse biological impacts are not anticipated...” because the immediate project area is developed land. “…Plans will not interfere with any aquatic species.”

But everyone knows how insects from woods or lake are attracted to bright light. The Edgewood stadium light will act like a giant vacuum cleaner sucking aquatic insects out of the wetlands nearby.

Scientists have recently found a decline in insect numbers of over 75% on several continents. Changes in climate and pesticides alone aren’t enough to account for this decline. Because half of all insects are active at night, and because insect declines are greater in areas with light pollution, scientists suspect light pollution is one cause

Likewise, migratory birds are attracted to light, especially when they are lost in fog. In Hawaii, the lights at football fields of three high schools confused fledgling birds, who circled around the lights until they fell, exhausted, to the ground.

While there are many scientific reports about the harmful effects on wildlife, plants, and people of noise and light pollution, relatively little is known of how the pollution causes harm. One recent study of migratory birds set up a “phantom road” using loudspeakers to broadcast traffic sounds within a natural area. They found fewer birds near the speakers, compared to control areas without speakers, and the birds near the speakers weighed less. Another study suggested why: White-throated sparrows subjected to noise cannot hear the alarm calls of other birds, so they compensate by watching more and feeding less.

Weak on numbers, analysis, and mitigation
Brodsky found factual errors in the EIA and the sound study on which it is based. The EIA states that 70 dBA is allowed by the noise ordinance, whereas it’s actually 65 dBA. He adds that the analysis of barrier height needed to reduce escaping noise is flawed, along with the measurement of background noise. He made additional measurements of light levels which contradict the EIA.

Nowhere does the report state the proposed increase in impervious surfaces (roofs, pavement), although I suspect that at least the storage and bathroom areas will have roofs. Nor do they propose how they will improve infiltration using rain gardens. LEED certification will not be sought. They do not propose to lessen effect of lights on migratory birds by restricting games during migration or canceling games on nights when heavy migration is forecast.

Climate change ignored
An environmental assessment cannot be taken seriously without an estimation of the project’s carbon footprint. No footprint was calculated here; climate change is not mentioned once in the report.

Climate change is the greatest challenge of this century. All citizens and institutions need to do their part by actually reducing non-renewable energy use. There is no plan in the EIA to offset increased energy use at the stadium by solar generation. What example does it set for Edgewood High students when their school leaders ignore climate change?