Protecting Virginia’s watersheds is a critical element of protecting our environment and the ecological health of Virginia wildlife. This press release from the Center for Biological Diversity flags the Center’s ongoing concern over the rough-head shiner, a minnow found only in the upper James River watershed.
There are six endangered and threatened fish species in the 79 Virginia counties with utility-scale solar projects that are either already in operation, under construction, or proposed by developers. The risk to Virginia wildlife and the environment of unchecked stormwater runoff from poorly planned and executed large-scale solar projects on agricultural and forested land to Virginia wildlife is very real. Please see our Endangered Species section for more information, including what you can do to help.
Endangered Species Protection Sought for Tiny Virginia Fish
Roughhead Shiner Slipping Into Extinction in James River Basin
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a legal petition today seeking Endangered Species Act protection for the roughhead shiner, an olive-colored minnow found only in the upper James River watershed in western Virginia.
The bald eagle is our country’s national symbol, and bald eagle nests line many waterways and streams in Virginia. Bald eagles almost became extinct back in the 1960s when pesticides flowed into streams and rivers from stormwater runoff. Through the Environmental Protection Act, these beautiful birds were protected and now are no longer listed as endangered or threatened. As the American Bird Conservancy says, this truly is one of our country’s greatest environmental protection success stories!
But bald eagles reproduce very slowly and continue to be at risk. Each bald eagle pair only produces one to two eaglets each year. Losing even one of these chicks a year would soon lead to a dangerous downward spiral for the eagles.
We’ve added a fact sheet on bald eagles to the Endangered Species section of our Research & Resources page to share ways that you can both monitor bald eagles and raise concerns about their protection any time a utility-scale solar project is proposed for your county.
Bald eagles are one of our country’s greatest environmental protection success stories. Bald eagles nearly became extinct because of the use of the pesticide DDT, which flowed into streams and rivers because of stormwater runoff. Once in our waterways, DDT was absorbed by fish, which are the primary food source for eagles. Ingesting the chemicals from this pesticide caused eagle eggshells to weaken, killing the baby birds inside. And that was critical because eagle pairs produce an average of only one or two eggs per year.
Bald eagles reached a low of only 417 breeding pairs across the entire continental United States (the lower 48 states) in 1963. The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) expanded to include bald eagles in 1978, and within 20 years there were over 5,000 breeding pairs.
The bald eagle was officially removed from the EPA’s endangered & threatened species list in 2007. They remain protected under the provisions of the federal Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act, which forbids the “taking” of their nests, eggs, or parts (such as feathers).
Bald eagle in flight (Photo credit: Jean Beaufort)
There are an estimated 72,000-plus breeding pairs throughout the lower 48 states. But because the eagles reproduce at such a slow rate, they need to be continually monitored to ensure their protection. The Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines describe the ways the eagles should be monitored and protected.
Citizen bird-watchers have an important role in this monitoring, including actively looking for and reporting bald eagle nests. Two ways to do this are through the Center for Conservation Biology and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The Center for Conservation Biology’s mapping portal actively tracks bald eagle nests. This includes the 660-foot protective buffer around nests that is important to their protection.
The Cornell Lab’s Citizen Science program encourages everyone to monitor and record birds, including the bald eagle.
Any time a solar project is proposed in your county, you can help protect Virginia wildlife and birds. Check the CCB portal and actively engage with local birdwatchers to make sure each and every bald eagle nest is identified and logged with either CCB or eBird.
