After environmental groups expressed opposition to a plan to build a 130-foot Verizon Wireless cell tower on the Naperville, Ill., property, city officials are determining if a study on how it might affect migratory birds and other wildlife is needed. The location is home to several species of birds that are listed as endangered and threatened.

Plans for a proposed 130-foot Verizon Wireless cell tower on Springbrook Golf Course in Naperville, Ill., are on hold while officials determine if a study on how it might affect migratory birds and other wildlife is needed, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The tower’s location would be near the 1,800-acre Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve, which is home to several species of grassland birds that are listed as endangered and threatened by the state, tower opponents said.

“Its size and ecological importance demand a higher level of scrutiny when considering conditional use permits directly adjacent to Springbrook’s boundaries,” said Vicky Sroczynski, speaking on behalf of Joe Suchecki, site steward and bird monitor at Springbrook. “The proposed tower has the potential to impact birds through collisions with it. Communication towers kill birds, particularly birds that migrate at night under certain weather conditions.”

A letter from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, a branch of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, urged the city to allow it to review the structure’s effect on area wildlife. City officials are trying to determine whether the consultation is mandatory or voluntary, the Tribune reported.

A new cell tower is needed near Springbrook Prairie to resolve coverage deficiencies in the area, said Ray Shinkle, speaking on behalf of Verizon Wireless and leasing agent Central States Tower. Verizon has looked at existing structures and towers and determined building a new tower is necessary to close the coverage gap and prevent dropped calls, the Tribune reported.

“There is nothing in this area we can co-locate on,” Shinkle said. “Believe me, if there was, Verizon would have been there a year ago and have the site up and running and on air.”

T-Mobile has expressed interest in using the tower as well because their customers also experience coverage deficiencies in the area, Shinkle said.

Naperville City Council members voted 8-0 to table a vote on the cell tower until later this month at the request of forest preserve board member Mary Lou Wehrli, the Tribune reported.

A tower lease agreement between agent Central States Tower and the Naperville Park District—owner of Springbrook Golf Course—was reached in February, according to city documents. Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission members Sean Hastings, Andrew Margulies and Robert Williams voted against the proposal, citing concerns with visual impact, the effect on migratory birds and potential safety hazards to pilots at Aero Estates, the Tribune reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration determined the proposed tower would not create a hazard for air navigation, the Tribune reported.

And while Shinkle stated in his presentation that an estimated 70% of emergency calls are made from cell phones, Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall said he is not aware of any dropped emergency calls made from cell phones due to coverage deficiencies in the area, the Tribune reported.