Environmental Contaminants

 

Some environmental contaminants, such as PCBs, are known to cause bill deformities in fish eating birds. Photo by Jim Sikarskie; Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Environmental Contaminants Specialists are available to:

 

• Investigate fish and wildlife die-offs
• Investigate pollution effects on fish, wildlife, and habitat
• Identify sources of pollution
• Respond to oil and hazardous material spills or releases
• Restore habitats and resources degraded by pollution
• Provide advice to minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizer
• Provide technical expertise to other federal agencies, states, industrial, and agricultural interests

 

To request help or for more information, please call the East Lansing Field Office at 517-351-2555.

 

Investigations

East Lansing Field Office Contaminants biologists investigate effects of contaminants on bald eagles and other fish-eating birds, annually monitor contamination levels in herring gulls and bald eagles, and look for evidence of impacts of new chemicals being released into the environment on fish.

 

Assessment of the Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems Beneficial Use Impairment in Michigan’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern (PDF)

 

Assessment of Population, Reproductive, and Health Impairments in Colonial Waterbirds Breeding in Michigan’s Areas of Concern (PDF)

 

Spill Response

Enbridge Oil Spill in Kalamazoo River (2010)

East Lansing Field Office Contaminants biologists respond to contaminant spill emergencies, including oils spills, and they were some of the first responders to the Enbridge Oil spill near Kalamazoo, Michigan.

 

Enbridge Oil Spill

 

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

East Lansing Field Office biologists responded to the 2010 BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico throughout the cleanup and assessment.

 

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response

 

 

USFWS National Spill Response

Oil Spill Preparation and Response

 

Natural Resource Damage Assessments

East Lansing biologist, Stephanie Millsap, at the Saginaw Bay Confined Disposal Facility. Photo by USFWS; Lisa Williams

East Lansing Field Office Contaminants biologists restore habitats and resources injured by releases of hazardous substances using a process called Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). The goals of NRDA are to restore the habitats and resources to the condition they would have been had the hazardous substances not been released, and to compensate the public for the loss of their use or enjoyment of natural resources.     

 

Enbridge Oil Spill NRDA

 

Kalamazoo River NRDA

 

Rouge River Mystery Oil Spill NRDA

 

Saginaw Bay NRDA

 

Tittabawassee River NRDA

 

Helping Our National Wildlife Refuges

East Lansing Field Office Contaminants biologists help our Refuges investigate whether land they are considering purchasing has contamination issues. We also assist in cleaning up contamination on land that is already part of the Refuge system. We are currently assisting Refuges in investigating and improving Grassy Island, now a part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. In the past, the Army Corps of Engineers used the island as a disposal site for contaminated material dredged primarily from the Rouge River.

 

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