NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Bruce Gottlieb (202 418-2000) February 20, 2008 STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS IN RESPONSE TO THE D.C. CIRCUIT’S DECISION VACATING THE FCC’S DENIAL AND DISMISSAL OF THE GULF COAST MIGRATORY BIRDS PETITION For years, I have been disappointed with the FCC’s failure to get serious about its environmental responsibilities. Now the D.C. Circuit has affirmed something this agency should have acknowledged a long time ago: that the National Environmental Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act require the FCC to take a hard look at the effects of communications towers on migratory birds. Yesterday’s decision should be a wake-up call to this agency. It is time to stop acting as if a problem will go away if we just keep kicking it down the road. As we move forward with the steps that the court has ordered us to take, I hope we will live up to the letter and the spirit of the environmental statutes Congress has given us. This means more than just checking the boxes required by the statutes—it means taking a thorough look at whether our rules and practices contribute to millions of needless bird deaths. I look forward to working with my colleagues to accomplish this important and time-sensitive work. - FCC -