Preservation
The natural habitat of Three Mile Island on the Susquehanna River was preserved when the reactors were built at Three Mile Island. Wildlife, including deer and birds, live on the island and their habitats have been preserved during the operation of the TMI Units.
The island is home to peregrine falcons, an endangered species, as well as osprey. The peregrine falcons live in the dome of the containment structure. Three Mile Island is an excellent location for the falcons, because the river is a flyway for many migrating birds—providing excellent hunting to feed the falcons and their young.
In 2004, a pair of young osprey chose the weather tower at Three Mile Island to build their nest. The weather towers at TMI require routine maintenance work, so the environmental staff at TMI worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and NRC to develop a plan to preserve the osprey nest during the spring mating season. After the mating season, an agreement was met to allow removal of the nest and construction of a new nesting location in the area of the TMI weather tower for the young osprey.
To construct a new home for the osprey, the old nest was delicately dismantled. A utility crew nailed a wooden pallet to the top of a pole about 50 yards south of the tower, lined the pallet with wire mesh, attached branches from the old nest and then raised the pole. The project provided a new home for the osprey where they could nest undisturbed. The osprey continue to live on the island.