A proposed deer cull at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Batavia has been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Chicago office.
The department said Thursday that Fermilab’s plan to reduce its burgeoning deer herd by sharpshooters would have “no significant impact” on the environment. An earlier report by a U.S. Department of Agriculture agency also had found that the proposed cull would pose no risk to human health or the environment.
An Energy Department spokeswoman said Thursday that a starting date for the cull had not yet been set. Deer meat yielded by the cull is to be donated to area food pantries.
According to Fermilab wildlife management specialists, there are between 500 and 1,000 deer on the facility’s grounds, or between 50 and 100 deer per square mile. Many wildlife managers maintain that optimum density for the area is 5 to 20 deer per square mile.
Fermilab officials have blamed deer for damage to shrubs and saplings and for an increasing number of collisions with vehicles on the grounds.
A public information meeting on the proposed plan held in October drew more than 50 people.