Minnesota’s Tower Marking Bill Passes Legislature

by Terry Stieren, MAAA

Amidst all the bad news we are hearing today, a small miracle occurred during the recent Minnesota legislative session which is about to come to an end. Against all odds, the Minnesota Agricultural Aviation Association’s (MAAA’s) Tower Marking bill made it to the finish line and is now headed to the Governor’s office for final signing.

The bill requires Met towers to be marked as follows:

1. Painted with equal-width bands of solid color over its entire width, alternating between aviation orange and white.

2. Have at least 2 spherical markers attached to each of the highest or outside guy wires

3. Have a high visibility sleeve on each guy wire that extends at least 7 foot

4. Have a flashing red light at the top of the tower that is compatible with night vision image system.

At least 30 days prior to erecting a met tower, the owner must notify the commissioner of Aeronautics and provide:

1. the owners name

2. name and contact information on any tower representatives

3. the height, above ground level, of the tower

4. the elevation of the tower site

5. GPS coordinates of the center of the tower

6. within 15 days of a change of information provided, the tower owner must notify the commissioner of the change

7. Within 30 days of removal, the tower owner must notify the commissioner

The Commissioner must maintain records of towers under this section and must provide information on towers in the department’s web site. (This will allow for GPS/Data Logging systems to incorporate Met tower locations on their maps.)

Existing towers have one-year to come into compliance with these regulations.

Special thanks to everyone who assisted the MAAA with this important legislation. The MN DOT Aeronautics Division who supported our efforts from the beginning and adopted this language as part of their overall 2020 legislative package; SKY TRACTOR AND INSERO SOLUTIONS, who generously donated to our 2019 Convention Auction allowing us to raise the necessary funds for professional lobbying assistance to get this legislation passed; and the NAAA who consulted with us on several occasions as we attempted to move this legislation forward.

This has genuinely been a 10-year effort by the MAAA to bring attention to the critical issue of unmarked Met Towers. There are many MAAA members who have assisted us over the years. I hesitate to mention names as I might forget some, but I have to recognize Gary Jerger, John Thisius, Tim and Luke Steier, Bryan Hauschild, Terry Hamilton and Steve Holmseth. These members were there with us at the beginning as we worked with the Medivac representatives, FAA, Wind Farm Developers and MNDOT to try to bring resolution to this issue.