North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Dakota Senate Bill SCR4004 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	25.3032.01000
2	2	Sixty-ninth
3	3	Legislative Assembly
4	4	of North Dakota
5	5	Introduced by
6	6	Senators Mathern, Rummel
7	7	Representatives Foss, Hanson, Murphy
8	8	A concurrent resolution declaring April 21, 2025, through April 28, 2025, as "North Dakota Dark
9	9	Sky Week," and urging the residents of North Dakota to partake in this event to observe,
10	10	ponder, and support the natural dark sky resources of this state.
11	11	WHEREAS, collisions with glass surfaces cause about one billion bird deaths in the United
12	12	States each year, contributing to a 29 percent decline in North American bird populations since
13	13	1970; and
14	14	WHEREAS, over half of North America's breeding birds are migratory, with more than
15	15	80 percent migrating at night, and during migration, lights can cause birds to collide with
16	16	windows or walls, causing injury, exhaustion, confusion, or death; and
17	17	WHEREAS, North Dakota is located along the Central Flyway, with its eastern border on
18	18	the edge of the Mississippi Flyway, a significant neotropical migratory pathway, where
19	19	approximately 450 million birds migrate through North Dakota in the spring and 400 million each
20	20	fall, and on peak migration nights, as many as 35 million birds migrate over the state; and
21	21	WHEREAS, eliminating nonessential indoor and exterior lighting during the spring and fall
22	22	migration can significantly reduce bird mortality; and
23	23	WHEREAS, private organizations supporting North Dakota Dark Sky Week encourage
24	24	state, municipal, residential, and commercial building owners, operators, managers, and
25	25	tenants to turn off, dim, or redirect excess lighting during migration seasons to protect birds from
26	26	light pollution and help provide safer passage between bird nesting and wintering grounds; and
27	27	WHEREAS, in addition to protecting the birds of the state, the implementation of a
28	28	statewide North Dakota Dark Sky Week may save millions in energy costs, increase energy
29	29	security, and help reduce energy carbon emissions in alignment with North Dakota's Priority
30	30	Climate Action Plan; and
31	31	Page No. 1 25.3032.01000
32	32	SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4004
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56	56	23 Sixty-ninth
57	57	Legislative Assembly
58	58	WHEREAS, Studies have shown that soybeans and other crops are sensitive to exposure
59	59	to light pollution, in addition to high risks to pollinator species of insects such as honeybees and
60	60	moths; and
61	61	WHEREAS, Light pollution has been demonstrated to have links to a wide variety of human
62	62	health concerns including cancer, obesity, diabetes, and mental health disorders stemming from
63	63	disruption of our circadian rhythm and the loss of awe and wonder a night sky can provide; and
64	64	WHEREAS, 90 percent of the world's population, including most of the state's residents in
65	65	the six most populous counties, live under a dome of light pollution that denies them a critical
66	66	connection to a shared cultural and historical heritage;
67	67	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, THE
68	68	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN:
69	69	That the state declares the week of April 21, 2025, through April 28, 2025, be North Dakota
70	70	Dark Sky Week, and encourages state, municipal, and commercial building owners, operators,
71	71	managers, and tenants to participate in this event to spread awareness of light pollution and
72	72	mitigation techniques and voluntarily turn off unnecessary lights throughout the migration
73	73	season; and
74	74	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , the Secretary of State forward copies of this resolution to
75	75	the Director of the North Dakota Tourism and Marketing Division, the Director of the North
76	76	Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, the Executive Committee of the North Dakota
77	77	Association of Counties, the President of the North Dakota Township Officers Association, and
78	78	the Executive Board of the North Dakota League of Cities.
79	79	Page No. 2 25.3032.01000
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