On Monday, July 25, the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting discussings House Bill 2857, which was signed into law June 17. This bill designates that communities within 57 miles of McDonald Observatory must implement outdoor lighting techniques that will help keep the skies around the observatory dark. The bill, which was sponsored by State Representative Pete Gallego, goes into effect on January 1, 2012.
Click "Listen Now" above to hear KRTS's Tom Michael and Rachel Osier Lindley discuss the meeting and HB 2857. Lindley attended and spoke with Bill Wren of the McDonald Observatory, Marfa Code Enforcement Officer Roger Amis, and Alpine resident and former Gallego staffer José Aguayo.
For more information on McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative, visit their website.