JACKSON, Wyo. — In conjunction with Grand Teton National Park, the Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is taking steps to become the first airport in the world to be DarkSky certified.
On Feb. 6, Buckrail spoke to JAC Executive Director Jim Elwood about the airport’s recent efforts to reduce nighttime light pollution. He said that after the National Park Service (NPS), Town of Jackson and Teton County all pursued DarkSky compliance, the JAC Board made the decision to “become a better neighbor” by changing its lighting systems.
“The Board has made sure to be respectful of the environment and to be respectful of being the only commercial service airport within a national park,” Elwood said.
Elwood said that the core of the DarkSky initiative is to lower the amount of light pollution that is not necessary, while acknowledging that there is a certain amount of lighting that needs to happen for safety reasons. He added that a DarkSky certification will not impact the airport’s safety lighting systems, including runway lighting and the control tower’s rotating beacon that alerts incoming pilots from dusk till dawn. Both systems are set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety standards, and must remain in place to ensure safe air travel.
Given the limitations on being able to change the airfield lighting, Elwood said that the airport’s focus is changing the lighting in the terminal and parking lot along US26/89. The JAC has installed gradual intensity lighting systems that are motion-sensored in the parking area.
“As you move from one area of the parking lot to find your car, the lighting system gets a little brighter and will pull back down as you pass by,” Elwood said.
Elwood added that the JAC’s parking lot and internal lights, including signage for check-in, rental cars, etc., are all shut down at midnight to help protect the night sky. Additionally, over the past couple of years, fluorescent fixtures across the airport have been converted to lower intensity light emitting diode (LED) bulbs.
“As all things improve, and technology makes certain things possible, we’re trying to adapt all of those into our steps forward,” Elwood said. “Our hope is to really reduce the amount of light being emitted around the airport facilities in the evening hours, but especially post midnight.”
Elwood told Buckrail that the additional benefits of being DarkSky compliant is reducing energy consumption and allowing electronic equipment to have a longer life-span. He added that he hopes people driving on the highway will begin to notice the nighttime stars and other natural features that would have been harder to see before the airport’s changes.
“It’s a progression towards trying to be more respectful of an incredible place that we are able to call home,” Elwood said.
As part of the DarkSky application process, the JAC requires community support and DarkSky certification letters of support from the Town of Jackson, Teton County and the NPS. On Feb. 3, the Town of Jackson stated its recommendation to approve a letter of support for the airport’s initiative. Town said in its staff report that the JAC’s DarkSky certification will serve as a source of pride for the airport and the community, and will inspire further actions locally and globally.
“Artificial lighting impairs our ability to see stars and the Milky Way and has a negative impact on the growing celestial tourism industry,” the Town Manager report said. “It also impairs human health by disrupting natural circadian rhythms and is harmful to nocturnal wildlife and species that migrate at night that depend on darkness to survive.”
According to Elwood, DarkSky standards need to be 67% compliant before submitting an application to DarkSky International. The JAC intends to submit its application in the next several weeks.
