Part 2 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. View part one here.   Six years ago, when I started reaching out to business leaders to learn where they stood on coastal restoration, I often heard that “Coastal restoration is an issue for the coastal parishes, and we’re not a coastal parish.” The earliest and strongest supporters for restoration were understandably located in coastal areas most directly affected by land loss. ...

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The post Why Coastal Restoration Matters to the Baton Rouge Area and the State appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Part 2 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. View part one here.   Six years ago, when I started reaching out to business leaders to learn where they stood on coastal restoration, I often heard that “Coastal restoration is an issue for the coastal parishes, and we’re not a coastal parish.” The earliest and strongest supporters for restoration were understandably located in coastal areas most directly affected by land loss. ...

Read The Full Story

The post Why Coastal Restoration Matters to the Baton Rouge Area and the State appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Part 2 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. View part one here.   Six years ago, when I started reaching out to business leaders to learn where they stood on coastal restoration, I often heard that “Coastal restoration is an issue for the coastal parishes, and we’re not a coastal parish.” The earliest and strongest supporters for restoration were understandably located in coastal areas most directly affected by land loss. ...

Read The Full Story

The post Why Coastal Restoration Matters to the Baton Rouge Area and the State appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Co-authored by Jim Wyerman, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, Mississippi River Delta Program, EDF Part 1 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. Louisiana residents are increasingly aware that coastal land loss presents an immediate economic and existential threat to coastal communities and the state – but fewer are familiar with the risks to the national economy. Oil and gas, seafood, navigation, recreational fisheries and wildlife tourism all depend on ...

Read The Full Story

The post What Does the Economy Stand to Lose If We Don’t Restore Louisiana’s Coast? appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Co-authored by Jim Wyerman, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, Mississippi River Delta Program, EDF Part 1 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. Louisiana residents are increasingly aware that coastal land loss presents an immediate economic and existential threat to coastal communities and the state – but fewer are familiar with the risks to the national economy. Oil and gas, seafood, navigation, recreational fisheries and wildlife tourism all depend on ...

Read The Full Story

The post What Does the Economy Stand to Lose If We Don’t Restore Louisiana’s Coast? appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

Co-authored by Jim Wyerman, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, Mississippi River Delta Program, EDF Part 1 of a 2-part series on the economic importance of coastal restoration to the state and nation. Louisiana residents are increasingly aware that coastal land loss presents an immediate economic and existential threat to coastal communities and the state – but fewer are familiar with the risks to the national economy. Oil and gas, seafood, navigation, recreational fisheries and wildlife tourism all depend on ...

Read The Full Story

The post What Does the Economy Stand to Lose If We Don’t Restore Louisiana’s Coast? appeared first on Restore the Mississippi River Delta.

The government is clearly justified in making the announcement—the ban will clean up our air and help tackle global warming. But the real change is only just beginning. You’ve got to hand it to Environment Secretary Michael Gove, he’s a quick learner with an instinctive grasp of how to control an agenda. The recent announcement […]

The government is clearly justified in making the announcement—the ban will clean up our air and help tackle global warming. But the real change is only just beginning. You’ve got to hand it to Environment Secretary Michael Gove, he’s a quick learner with an instinctive grasp of how to control an agenda. The recent announcement […]

By Michael Bean

The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America. But as latter-day citizens we shall fail our trust if we permit the eagle to disappear. — President John F. Kennedy

Following the enactment of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the bald eagle was listed as "endangered" throughout the lower 48 states, with the exception of five states where it was designated as "threatened." Minnesota now has the largest numbers of nesting eagle pairs in lower 48 states. (Photo Credit: Bob Jensen)

In 1782, the bald eagle was officially declared the national symbol of the United States. It became the icon that evoked patriotism – a feeling of strength and power, of independence and courage. At the time, the population was at an estimated 100,000 birds.

In the 20th century, the population of bald eagles fell to dangerously low levels, leading to fears of extinction. Fortunately, decades of recovery efforts brought the species back from the brink – a testament to the meaningful milestones that can be achieved through effective conservation.

How we almost lost the bald eagle

A combination of wanton killing, habitat degradation and use of the pesticide DDT decimated the bald eagle population. The decline likely began as early as the late 1800s, as both eagle prey and eagles were hunted for the feather trade. By 1960, there were only 400 nesting pairs left in the lower 48.

The first eagle protections came from the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, which prohibited the killing or selling of bald eagles. Despite this, populations continued to fall due to the widespread use of DDT in the 1940s and beyond – the pesticide often ending up in rivers, streams and lakes, and accumulating in fish tissue. Birds that fed on these fish laid eggs with such thin shells that they cracked during nesting.

The bald eagle is a symbol of majestic power and unparalleled strength. We have the ESA to thank…
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In 1967, the bald eagle was listed as "endangered" under the predecessor to the Endangered Species Act – the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966. The bald eagle was one of the first species to be officially listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when it was signed in 1973.

The bald eagle has never been listed as threatened or endangered in Alaska; populations there have remained stable. (Photo Credit: John Carrel)

The ESA helped save the eagle

The 1972 ban on DDT (one of EDF’s signature accomplishments) made the eagle’s recovery possible. That recovery was greatly accelerated by a combination of regulatory restrictions, nesting site protections, and reintroduction programs, which together contributed to a dramatic turnaround for bald eagle populations.

The ESA was a critical driver of all of these efforts, many of which also supported recovery of other at-risk wildlife like the peregrine falcon and brown pelican. The bedrock conservation law served to both bring public awareness to the bald eagle’s plight and to recover populations.

In 1995, the bald eagle’s status was reduced from “endangered” to “threatened,” with an estimated 4,700 nesting pairs occurring in the lower 48 states. A little over a decade later, in 2007, the species was delisted with an estimated 10,000 nesting pairs.

In 40 years, the bird saw a 25-fold increase in its population.

The ESA helped save the most iconic bird in the United States. The act provided the critical law enforcement needed in order to protect the bird across its vast range. Today, the bald eagle is once again a symbol of majestic power and unparalleled strength. We have the ESA to thank for that.

Michael Bean started working at EDF in 1977 directing wildlife conservation policy initiatives. In 2009, Michael joined the U.S. Department of the Interior as counselor to the Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and later as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. Today, Michael is back as an advisor to EDF.

Related:

Dear Congress, protect the integrity of the ESA

From 15 birds to flagship status: An American conservation movement takes flight

The “dean of endangered species protection” on the past, present and future of America’s wildlife

By Richard Denison

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Lead Senior Scientist.

At a time when public health and the environment, independent science and even basic truths are under sustained assault, we need more than ever to recognize scientists who persevered even in the face of concerted attacks by ideological and industry interests to discredit them and divert attention from the implications of their work.

Dr. Herbert Needleman, who passed away this month at the age of 89, was a shining example.  

Dr. Needleman’s decades of work laid the foundation for our modern understanding of the subtle but devastating effects on children from low-dose exposures to lead.  By analyzing the shed “baby teeth” of children from poor urban neighborhoods, he and his fellow researchers showed those children had accumulated much more lead in their bodies than children living in the suburbs.  Even more alarming, those with the highest levels had IQs that averaged four points lower than the least exposed children.

That was 1979, when lead exposures from its use in paint and gasoline were widespread.  Lead was also in the solder used in metal cans and in water pipes (still a major concern; witness Flint, MI).  Attacks on Dr. Needleman’s research soon followed, spurred by the lead industry that stood to lose from tighter regulation of its products.  It took more than a decade, but with only minor corrections, Dr. Needleman’s research was upheld – and has since been superseded by research showing adverse effects at even lower levels of exposure to lead.  Meanwhile, others carry on Dr. Needleman’s legacy in their own research.

Dr. Needleman understood the importance of his research for public health policies, and became an active advocate for changes to those policies, founding the Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (now part of the National Center for Healthy Housing).  He is widely credited for playing a key role in driving the regulatory advancements that have led to the dramatic reductions in lead levels in children seen since his landmark research was first published.

As we face an unprecedented effort in this country to elevate private interests over public ones, I draw enormous inspiration from the life and work of Dr. Needleman.

 

By Richard Denison

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Lead Senior Scientist.

At a time when public health and the environment, independent science and even basic truths are under sustained assault, we need more than ever to recognize scientists who persevered even in the face of concerted attacks by ideological and industry interests to discredit them and divert attention from the implications of their work.

Dr. Herbert Needleman, who passed away this month at the age of 89, was a shining example.  

Dr. Needleman’s decades of work laid the foundation for our modern understanding of the subtle but devastating effects on children from low-dose exposures to lead.  By analyzing the shed “baby teeth” of children from poor urban neighborhoods, he and his fellow researchers showed those children had accumulated much more lead in their bodies than children living in the suburbs.  Even more alarming, those with the highest levels had IQs that averaged four points lower than the least exposed children.

That was 1979, when lead exposures from its use in paint and gasoline were widespread.  Lead was also in the solder used in metal cans and in water pipes (still a major concern; witness Flint, MI).  Attacks on Dr. Needleman’s research soon followed, spurred by the lead industry that stood to lose from tighter regulation of its products.  It took more than a decade, but with only minor corrections, Dr. Needleman’s research was upheld – and has since been superseded by research showing adverse effects at even lower levels of exposure to lead.  Meanwhile, others carry on Dr. Needleman’s legacy in their own research.

Dr. Needleman understood the importance of his research for public health policies, and became an active advocate for changes to those policies, founding the Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (now part of the National Center for Healthy Housing).  He is widely credited for playing a key role in driving the regulatory advancements that have led to the dramatic reductions in lead levels in children seen since his landmark research was first published.

As we face an unprecedented effort in this country to elevate private interests over public ones, I draw enormous inspiration from the life and work of Dr. Needleman.

 

It's now up to the Senate to make sure this bill stops dead in its tracks--and that only happens if you raise your voice. C4. Regional.

It's now up to the Senate to make sure this bill stops dead in its tracks--and that only happens if you raise your voice. C4. Regional.

It's now up to the Senate to make sure this bill stops dead in its tracks--and that only happens if you raise your voice. C4. Regional.

This won't be the last congressional attack on clean air. Make sure your Representative keeps standing on the right side. C4. Regional.

This won't be the last congressional attack on clean air. Make sure your Representative keeps standing on the right side. C4. Regional.

This won't be the last congressional attack on clean air. Make sure your Representative keeps standing on the right side. C4. Regional.

Don't let this attack on Americans' health go by unnoticed. Make sure your Representative hears from you today. C4. Regional.