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| Service Investigation Secures Guilty Plea from Major Oil Company |
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This oiled duck, which was retrieved from an Exxon Mobil facillity in Colorado, represents one of some 85 migratory bird deaths documented by Service special agents during the investigation. Credit: USFWS/Office of Law Enforcement |
August 14, 2009
Exxon Mobil Corporation, whose oil and gas drilling and production facilities in 5 States were linked to the deaths of Federally protected birds, has pleaded guily to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The company must pay $600,000 in fines and community service payments and implement an environmental compliance plan to prevent bird deaths at its facilities in Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The company has already spent $2.5 million to protect birds at these sites.
News Release
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Environmental Contaminants Biologists Respond to a Large Fish Kill in Illinois |
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Biologist Kraig Mcpeek holds a trophy flathead catfish found dead in the Rock River, IL. Photo credit: Mike Coffey/USFWS. |
June 29, 2009
Thousands of fish died suddenly in the Rock River in northern Illinois on Sunday, June 21 st, 2009. Alarmed by the potential threat, contaminants biologists along with fish and wildlife biologists from the Ecological Services Field Office in Illinois immediately began to test the water for toxins. The Rock River supports federally listed endangered mussels and many kinds of migratory birds that use the river for nesting. Record rains and a train wreck with a spill of gasoline ready ethanol occurred on Friday before the fish kill. Biologists are inspecting the river beds containing endangered mussels and participating in an investigation to determine the cause of the fish kill.
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Study Finds Potential Disease Threats to Washington Sea Otters |
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Sea Otter. Credit: David Menke/USFWS. |
May 5, 2009
Many of Washington State’s sea otters are exposed to the same pathogens responsible for causing disease in marine mammal populations in other parts of the country, according to a study published by researchers from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their partners.
While the Washington sea otters do not appear to be suffering negative effects from the pathogens, they still face potential threats from infectious disease due to their relatively small population size and limited distribution.
“Sea otters are a keystone species in the sanctuary, so potential disease threats are a significant concern for us,” said Mary Sue Brancato, a sanctuary resource protection specialist who is one of the study’s co-authors. “Changes in their population can affect the whole ecosystem.”
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Potomac River Intersex Fish More Widespread Than Initially Thought |
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Map representing the geographic area studied by the research scientists. |
April 22, 2009
A recent study of intersex abnormalities in fish conducted by researchers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey in the Potomac River watershed showed that at least 82 percent of male smallmouth bass and in 23 percent of the largemouth bass had immature female germ cells (oocytes) in their reproductive organs.
This condition, a type of intersex, is a disturbance in the fish’s hormonal system and is an indicator of exposure to estrogens or chemicals that mimic the activity of natural hormones. Several other abnormalities were also noted, some affecting female bass.
“At the moment we don’t know the ecological implications of this condition and it could potentially affect the reproductive capability of important sport fish species in the watershed,” said Leopoldo Miranda, Supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Chesapeake Bay Field Office.
Learn More
View the entire press release
Fact Sheet - Intersex fish:
Endocrine disruption in
smallmouth bass (1MB pdf) |
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Cave Activity Discouraged to Help Protect Bats from Deadly White-nose Syndrome |
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Bat with nose covered in white fungus. Credit: USFWS |
April 2, 2009
White-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed hundreds of thousands of bats from Vermont to Virginia. We suspect that white-nose syndrome may be spread accidentally by those who use caves where bats hibernate. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking cavers to temporarily stay out of these caves. It is hoped that a voluntary moratorium will allow time to determine the cause of this deadly syndrome and find a cure.
News Release
Northeast Region - Images in the News: White-Nosed Syndrome in Bats |
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Restoration of Salt Marsh in Ocean View, Delaware, Underway |
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Blue crabs are one of the species that will benefit from the marsh restoration . Credit: John J. Mosesso/NBII |
March 24, 2009
Construction on a 24-acre salt marsh enhancement project at the James Farm Ecological Preserve in Ocean View, Delaware, is underway. The James Farm marsh enhancement project is the final step in the natural resource damage assessment process to restore and compensate for environmental impacts resulting from a fuel oil release at the Indian River Power Plant, into the Indian River Estuary that occurred in early 2000.
The project will benefit the wide variety of birds, fish and other wildlife species that inhabit Delaware’s Inland Bays. The pools and channels will provide habitat for fish and crabs, and feeding areas for wading birds.
Learn More
This project was recently featured in the Outdoor News Daily |
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Service Assists at Kingston, Tennessee, Fly Ash Slurry Spill |
| February 9, 2009
Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Contaminants personnel are assisting in evaluation and monitoring of the impacts of the fly ash slurry spill that occurred in Kingston, Tennessee.
The spill occurred when an earthen dike broke at a retention pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant in Kingston.
Learn More
View Images |
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Ecological Restoration Site on the Mispillion River in Delaware Completed |
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Pike Property Ecological Restoration Site After Phragmites Removal. Credit: DNREC |
September 25, 2008
Fifty-six acres of private land, known as the Pike Property, located along the Delaware Bay have been restored. This restoration has resulted in significant habitat improvements in the Mispillion River ecosystem—home to many valuable natural resources, such as blue crab, Atlantic herring, spot, and striped bass.
This restoration was the result of a cooperative effort among the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Fish and Wildlife Service, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and DuPont. To celebrate this accomplishment, there will be a tour of the property on October 2, 2008.
Learn More |
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Service personnel respond to another large oil spill this time in the Midwest Region. |
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Oil skimmer and vacuum truck operations to remove crude oil from wetland. Photo credit: Mike Coffey/USFWS |
September 22, 2008
A pipeline rupture released over 5,000 barrels of crude oil into upland forest and bottomland wetland habitats near Albion, IL. The wetlands included former river channels near the Little Wabash River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Contaminants Program provided technical assistance to minimize the impacts on wetlands, migratory birds, and federally listed endangered species.
Learn More |
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Service Personnel Assist in the Largest Oil Spill Response Effort Ever Conducted in the Southeast Region. |
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September 8, 2008
On July 23, 2008, a major release of #6 fuel oil occurred in the Mississippi River, in New Orleans, Louisiana. More than 9,000 barrels of oil were released. The release necessitated the closure of more than 80 miles of river to commercial shipping and recreational boating. The river, shorelines, and adjacent wetlands were impacted in much of the area. This incident represents a significant threat to fish, wildlife, and habitat quality. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Contaminants Program and National Wildlife Refuge System personnel have responded to the incident.
More Information (Update for August 17, 2008)
New Orleans, Louisiana Oil Spill Wildlife Rescue Video. (USFWS Video. Added September 8, 2008)
U S Fish and Wildlife Responds to Oil Spill (Video produced by Paradise Louisiana cable television show - July 31)
Efforts to protect wildlife in high gear after oil spill. (Service staff were interviewed for this piece) WWLTV (Louisiana) Eyewitness News story - July 29.
National Public Radio Interview of Steven Alexander, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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SMARXT DISPOSAL |
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| Medicine Disposal Partnership Encourages Public to Flush Less, Crush More |
March 19, 2008
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have signed a formal agreement to help protect the nation's fish and aquatic resources from the improper disposal of medication. The campaign -- dubbed " SMARXT DISPOSAL " -- will inform people on how to safely dispose of medicines in the trash, and highlight the environmental threat posed from flushing medicines down the toilet.
Consumers were once advised to flush their expired or unused medications; however, recent environmental impact studies report that this could be having an adverse impact on the environment.
SMARXT DISPOSAL
News Release: Medicine Disposal Partnership will Encourage Public to Flush Less, Crush More
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Update on Bat Die-off |
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Ailing bats in a New York cave have the condition dubbed white-nose syndrome for the white fungus on their muzzles. Credit: Al Hicks, New York Department of Environmental Conservation
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March 19, 2008
Some 8,000 to 11,000 bats died in several Albany, New York-area caves and mines last winter, more than half the bat population in those hibernacula. Many of the dead bats had a white fungus on their muzzles, dubbed white-nose syndrome. This year, biologists are seeing hibernating bats die by the hundreds - probably thousands - in New York, southwest Vermont and western Massachusetts.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species biologist Susi von Oettingen talks about white-nose syndrome
in bats and investigates a hibernaculum in an abandoned mine.
Video Interview
How You Can Help
New York Department of Conservation
Cornell University
YouTube Coverage |
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Study Nearing The Finish Line |
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| In this study, sparrows were captured to collect a blood sample to compare mercury exposure. Credit: BioDiversity Research Institute. |
A four-year study examining the effects of mercury on saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrows nesting on National Wildlife Refuges in New England is nearing completion. This study, partially funded by On-Refuge Contaminant Investigation funds, is a cooperative effort between Refuges, Ecological Services, BioDiversity Research Institute, and the University of New Hampshire. Data analysis from the 2007 field season is nearly complete and a final report will be available in May, 2008.
Interim Report: Determining Mercury Risk to Saltmarsh Sparrows on Four National Wildlife Refuges
Mercury Found in Songbirds in New England Salt Marshes (pdf) - Article from Refuge Update (January/February 2008 Vol 5, No 1) |
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Mysterious Bat Deaths Prompt Cave Advisory |
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| Ailing bats in a New York cave have the condition dubbed white-nose syndrome for the white fungus on their muzzles. Credit: Al Hicks, New York Department of Environmental Conservation. |
February 06, 2008
Hibernating bats in New York and Vermont, including endangered Indiana bats, are dying at an alarming rate, and we don't know why. While searching for the cause of the deaths, we have developed guidance for cavers to help reduce the risk of spreading contamination. The Northeast Region and the Midwest Region have additional information.
Learn More
More Information |
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Service Staff Respond to San Francisco Spill |
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| San Francisco - Oil booms line a San Francisco, California, beach. November 9, 2007. Credit: Desmond Thorsson/U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary. |
On November 7, 2007 the cargo vessel Cosco Busan hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge in heavy fog. The impact ruptured the hull (~100 ft x 12 ft and 4 ft deep) and spilled approximately 58,000 gallons of medium grade fuel oil. Most of the oil has spread to central San Francisco Bay and outer coast (North and South of the Golden Gate Bridge). The spill is not anticipated to make contact with San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC) lands in the South Bay or offshore at the Farallon Islands, although oiled birds have been found at all of the refuges.
More Information |
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Restoration Monies From Settlement Will Benefit Multiple Species |
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| Clubshell (Pleurobema clava). Credit: USFWS |
A settlement has been reached for a 2002 fish kill along the Saline Branch and Salt Fork of the Vermilion River in Illinois. A total of $491,000 will be provided to the Fish and Wildlife Service and State of Illinois to restore fish and wildlife habitat. Species that will benefit from the restoration efforts include the endangered clubshell mussel, endangered bats, and a variety of migratory birds, fishes and other aquatic species.
Learn More
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Midwest grassland restoration benefits ducks wintering in Maryland |
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| Ruddy Duck. Credit: Glen Smart/USFWS |
An oil spill into a Maryland river and grass restoration on 1,850 acres of farmland in the upper Midwest seem as far apart as the 1,000 miles separating them. For ruddy ducks that nest in prairie potholes and winter on the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, it makes perfect sense.
Learn More
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100th Anniversary of the Birthday of Rachel Carson |
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| The centennial of the birth of Rachel Carson, a pivotal figure in wildlife conservation, was celebrated May 27, 2007. |
Carson worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service from 1936-1952. Her understanding of the dangers of pesticides began during those years and inspired her most important book, “Silent Spring.” This book led to closer scrutiny of pesticides policy and the eventual ban on use of the pesticide DDT. This ban helped revive bald eagles which may soon be removed from the Endangered Species list.
For more information on Rachel Carson's accomplishments and our wildlife conservation heritage:
Rachel Carson Web Site
Rachel Carson Fact Sheet (pdf)
DDT information and Archive of Fish and Wildlife Service News Releases related to DDT
Taking a Stand in History: Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring - this documentary created by high school junior, tells the story of Carson’s pioneering role in creating the modern environmental movement. |
Improper Disposal of Unused Medication Sparks Creation of New Awareness Program |
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Smart Disposal. A Prescription for a Healthy Planet. UFWS/APha partnership logo. |
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) have joined forces to help protect our nation's fish and aquatic resources from improper disposal of medication. As part of the effort - dubbed "SMARxT DISPOSAL" - the USFWS and the APhA will work to publicize the potential environmental and health impacts of unused medications when they are flushed into our nation's sewer systems.
News Release |
Restoration Program Makes Significant Contribution at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge |
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| A former sludge pit contaminated with heavy metals was converted to a lush vernal pool that now provides breeding habitat for New Jersey endangered blue-spotted salamanders. (photo credit: USFWS). |
Through a close collaboration between the Service's Environmental Contaminants Program and the National Wildlife Refuge System, $4.2 million in natural resource damage assessment restoration settlement funds have been used to add nearly 130 acres of forested wetland habitat to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GSNWR), remove 17 acres of impervious cover and nearly 1,600 tons of demolition debris, of which more than 425 tons of concrete and 275 tons of asphalt were recycled. Additionally, more than a half-mile of new boardwalks, constructed with recycled materials, were added to the GSNWR's Wildlife Observation Center, located just 26 miles west of New York City. Over 100,000 people visit the Wildlife Observation Center boardwalk and trail system each year.
Actions currently underway include invasive species control on over 110 acres and restoration of 25 vernal (seasonal) pools. In addition, funds are being provided to partners such as the:
to help them complete 8 restoration projects throughout the watershed, that will ultimately benefit water quality on Great Swamp NWR. The total value of the acquisitions and restorations exceeds $9 M when matching funds and in-kind partner contributions are included.
Restoration Program
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge |
Land Acquired in Pollution Settlement Becomes Nature Preserve
The Indiana Natural Resources Commission voted on November 14, 2006, to dedicate Pine Station Nature Preserve, a 258-acre tract bordered by U.S Steel to the north and Gary/Chicago International Airport to the southwest.
The property, as well as $200,000 for its restoration, was acquired as part of the Midco I and II Superfund sites' damage settlement. At the time, the property consisted of 47 acres of relatively intact dune and swale habitat and approximately 208 acres of degraded habitat in need of restoration and provided habitat for a host of rare species.
Environmental Contaminants staff in the Service's Bloomington, Indiana, developed a plan to restore the degraded areas along with the Indiana's Departments of Environmental Management and Natural Resources. Construction debris and nonnative vegetation was removed, and 12 acres of wetlands were restored. There are also plans to install a hiking trail and visitor parking lot and may eventually link the hiking trail with other recreational trails in Northwest Indiana.
Fact Sheet: Restoring our Resources - Midco I and II Superfund Sites, Northwestern Indiana (pdf)
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Recent News and Activities
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| The Service, NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program and other federal agencies aim to protect and rebuild populations of seabirds along the Central California coast, like these common murres, whose numbers dwindled dramatically in the 1980s. (photo credit:
NOAA). |
Working Together to Protect Seabirds
Seabird species, particularly those species that nest and roost on cliffs or offshore rocks, are highly susceptible to human disturbances. When disturbed, the birds vacate their nests, leaving their eggs and chicks unprotected from predators and harsh weather. Repeated disturbance may cause the birds to totally abandon a colony.
Disturbance of breeding seabirds can come from various activities including kayaking, boating, hiking, diving or surfing, flyovers of planes and helicopters, and fishing operations. To put seabird colonies on California’s central coast back on the road to health, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, and several California state and non-governmental agencies have created the Seabird Colony Protection Program, an innovative outreach and monitoring effort that enlists the help of those who use and enjoy the sea, shore and sky to minimize their impact on seabird nesting and breeding grounds.
More Information
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| The historic Lonsdale Drive-in sign heralding restored habitat and bikeway . (photo credit:
USFWS). |
Rhode Island Restoration Site to Receive Coastal America Award
Coastal America presented a Partnership Award on September 11, 2006 to agencies and individuals in recognition of the collaborative success of the Lonsdale Drive-In restoration project in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
The Lonsdale Drive-In site was one of the most highly valued freshwater wetlands in Rhode Island. The land was used as a pasture for many years until the early 1950s, when 23 acres were paved to construct the drive-in. The theatre was closed in the early 1980s and the site sat neglected. But now, back by popular demand, it's wildlife habitat!
News Release
More Photos
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Restoration In Action: North Cape, Rhode
Island, Lobster Restoration Program Completed |
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| An observer v-notches a female lobster. V-notched lobsters are protected from harvest, allowing them more opportunity to reproduce. (photo credit:
NOAA). |
The 1996 North Cape oil spill occurred when the 340-foot North Cape oil barge ran aground, after its tug caught fire during a severe winter storm. Over 828,000 gallons of home heating oil spilled into local waters, killing an estimated nine million lobsters, millions of surf clams, fish, birds, and other organisms. To help recover the lobster population in the area, wildlife managers recommended the notching and protection of female lobster.
Visit the North Cape Restoration home page
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