Nesting on the pipeline – TAPS coexists with birds

Seasonally, Alaska is home to more than 440 species of birds, including over 200 species that live along the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) corridor. Invariably, some of these birds set up their homes in locations along the pipeline and at the Valdez Marine Terminal.

Alyeska workers understand that nature and industry can coexist. Further, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits disturbing bird nests that contain eggs or chicks. Consequently, pipeline workers don’t simply remove problematic nests. Instead, they notify Alyeska’s environment team whenever they discover nests or birds that appear to be nesting in operationally-sensitive locations or active work areas. Conflicts can arise if bird nests are located in active work areas. These can be health and safety issues for workers, or can be because nests are within the footprint of a maintenance or project activity.

Cathy Girard, Alyeska’s field environmental coordinator, said bird nesting in TAPS infrastructure is a common occurrence for which the company is prepared.

“Bird nesting on the pipeline happens all of the time,” said Girard. “Nesting occurs inside of equipment, on top of equipment, inside of gates, on staircases and near mainline unit air intakes.

“Most of the nests we see are made by birds that are typically associated with tree-nesting, not tundra nesting,” said Girard. “Many robin’s nests, for example, are nestled into the cross beam between the vertical support members.”

Alyeska works hard to avoid nesting problems. Every spring employees proactively screen and plug piping, scaffold, staircases, vehicle undercarriages and other locations where bird nests could conflict with work activities. Nevertheless, nest issues still occur, especially along elevated sections of the 800-mile-long pipeline.

Some 420 miles of TAPS pipe rests on top of five-to-15 foot-tall vertical support members that are designed to prevent pipeline heat from melting permafrost. This permanently frozen soil is found beneath about 75 percent of the pipeline corridor.

Trained Alyeska personnel work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on a case by case basis to move problematic nests before eggs are laid. Moving nests with eggs or young is a last resort and must be authorized by the USFWS for certain species. If authorized, the nest is moved to a nearby location when at least one parent is watching the relocation. At the Valdez Marine Terminal tanker berths, Alyeska has obtained a special permit from the USFWS to remove or destroy active nests if they interfere with worker health and safety. These actions are only taken as a last resort.

Alyeska prefers to persuade birds to build their nests in non-operational areas. If persuasion doesn’t work, Alyeska tries to adjust work activities to accommodate the birds.

"Just this summer we've had three locations near Pump Station 3 where we asked people to restrict their work activities until baby birds fledged and left their nests," said Girard. "Birds improvise when trees are not available. It's quite amazing to see what they consider to be suitable nesting habitat."