Eagle Migration 011

Every fall, as northern areas begin to freeze, thousands of bald eagles migrate south from Canada and the Great Lakes states in search of open water.

Some eagles will travel as far south as the Gulf Coast.

A few are usually seen in the state of Missouri by mid-autumn, but most arrive in December.

In some cases, an eagle will return to the same location each winter.

Where waterfowl are abundant, eagles feed primarily on dead and injured waterfowl; whereas, at rivers and lakes, fish make up most of the eagles' diet.

A few bald eagles remain in Missouri to nest, but most begin moving back north again in late February.

Eagles are among the largest birds of prey in the world.  Their life expectancy in the wild is about 30 years, while some bald eagles have lived up to 50 years in captivity.

They fly 20 to 40 miles per hour in normal flight, but can reach speeds of more than 100 miles per hour while diving.

An eagle's vision is five to six times sharper than a human's.

When it was adopted as our national emblem in 1782, the bald eagle flourished in great numbers.

Nesting bald eagles used to be common in Missouri.

Since that time, the numbers of bald eagles have declined drastically.

Pesticides and habitat destruction nearly wiped-out the eagle population.

Bald eagles began making a comeback after DDT was banned in 1972 and a restoration program was begun.

During the 1980s, more than 70 young bald eagles were released from artificial nests in Missouri.

Because of this program, together with the eagle's natural tendency to return to its former nesting range, eagles once again are nesting in Missouri.

Eagle nests are found throughout the state, mostly in southeast and west-central Missouri. They are usually built in the tops of large sycamore trees.

-  Adapted from a video by the Missouri Department of Conservation.



In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Eagle Migration 010

In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Eagle Migration 009

In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Eagle Migration 008

In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Eagle Migration - 007

In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Eagle Migration - Clarksville, MO

Juvenile in flight - the birds under about 5 years of age are all brown. — in Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Clarksville-005

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Clarksville-004

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Clarksville-003

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

Clarksville-002

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert:

EPA Provides Environmental Education Grant to Township of Woodbridge, NJ

Press release:

EPA Provides Environmental Education Grant to

Township of Woodbridge, NJ

Three High Schools to learn more about the Raritan River 

Contact: Terry Ippolito, 212-637-3671, ippolito.teresa@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – July 17, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $27,800 grant that will support a significant environmental education project in New Jersey. The Township of Woodbridge received a grant to work with high school students in a community based restoration project along the Raritan River.

 “EPA is proud to provide support to the Woodbridge, NJ community in their efforts to educate high school students about the need to clean up the Raritan River,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator.

Specifics of the grant are as follows:

Township of Woodbridge, Woodbridge, NJ             $27,800

The township will conduct the “Woodbridge Township Wetlands Restoration Education Project” involving students and teachers in three high schools. Seminars, field trips and family science nights will focus on the “El Paso site” and other wetland and Brownfields sites along the Raritan River. The project is designed to increase community understanding of the causes of pollution, how to prevent it, and the kinds of stewardship projects and programs that can be implemented.

EPA’s local and nationwide educational programs promote environmental stewardship and support excellence in environmental education. Since 1992, EPA has funded over $55 million in environmental education grants to support more than three thousand projects across the country. Agency partnerships, including with the National Environmental Education Foundation and the Environmental Education Training Partnership, have given thousands of formal and non-formal educators the skills and knowledge needed to teach students of all ages about safeguarding the environment.

More information about EPA’s environmental education programs and a link to sign up for future environmental education grant announcements can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/education/ 

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

 

12-085                          

Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

With Summer’s Arrival, Rhode Islanders Reminded About Woonasquatucket River "Do's and Don'ts"

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
June 29, 2012

Contact: Stacy Greendlinger, (617) 918-1403

With Summer’s Arrival, Rhode Islanders Reminded About Woonasquatucket River "Do's and Don'ts"

(Boston, Mass. – June 29, 2012) – As summer weather tempts local youth to find a place to swim, EPA reminds the public to use the Woonasquatucket River responsibly. Specifically, residents of North Providence, Johnston, and Providence should keep in mind that contamination in and along the river may pose a health risk.

EPA asks that people keep in mind the following Do's & Don'ts for the Woonasquatucket River:
      - Don't eat fish, turtles, eels, other wildlife or plants from the Woonasquatucket River;
      - Don't wade in the shallow water or swim in the river;
      - Don't dig into the river banks; and,
      - Do obey the warning signs posted along the river.

With summer weather in full force, the Woonasquatucket River is an appealing spot for children. While EPA continues to make progress in cleaning up dioxin contaminated areas, parents, teachers, and camp counselors should remain vigilant to ensure that children are protected from dioxin and other contaminants remaining in the water, sediment and soil. Walking, running, or bike riding along the river, and paddling a canoe or kayak on the river are ways to safely enjoy the river. However, people should wash thoroughly after any contact with the river water, sediment or soil.

In October 2011 EPA presented a proposed cleanup approach for addressing contamination in Allendale and Lyman Mill Ponds and floodplain areas and expects this fall to release the final cleanup plan and responses to comments received during the 120-day public comment period.  The October 2011 Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site Proposed Cleanup Plan can be reviewed at the North Providence and Johnston public libraries.

More information on the Woonasquatucket River and Centredale Manor cleanup (http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/centredale)

#  #  #

Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/newsevents/index.html)

Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)

More info on EPA's Environmental Results in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/results/index.html)

EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck and Congressional Representative Paul Tonko Announce Progress on Cleaning Up the Hudson River and Shoreline

Press release:

EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck and Congressional Representative Paul Tonko

Announce Progress on Cleaning Up the Hudson River and Shoreline

500 Jobs Created By Hudson River Cleanup Project

Also Tour Superfund Site in Colonie and Guilderland

Contact: Larisa Romanowski, (518) 747-4389, cell (518) 703-0101, romanowski.larisa@epa.gov

(Albany, NY – May 22, 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith Enck was joined by Congressional Representative Paul Tonko, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Deputy Commissioner Eugene Leff and Troy Mayor Lou Rosamilia on the shore of the Hudson River to mark the third season of dredging to remove PCB-contaminated sediment from a 40-mile stretch of the river between Fort Edward and Troy, New York. From the site of a former junkyard in Troy currently slated for cleanup and redevelopment, the officials noted progress on the federal Superfund cleanup of the Hudson River and efforts to restore properties along its shorelines. The group also toured the Mercury Refining Superfund site, a former mercury reclamation facility in the towns of Colonie and Guilderland.

The Superfund cleanups of the Hudson River and Mercury Refining sites are being paid for by the companies responsible for the contamination. The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. When sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA looks for parties responsible for the pollution and requires them to pay for the cleanups. Cleanups are funded by taxpayer dollars when the responsible parties cannot be found or are not financially viable. These cleanups also produce jobs, with the Hudson River Superfund project creating an estimated 500 jobs. In 2011, Superfund cleanups supported an estimated 1800 jobs across New York State.

"Superfund cleanups are pivotal for protecting public health and the environment,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “The Hudson River PCB cleanup is accomplishing just that, while also creating 500 new jobs. This project illustrates the many benefits of the EPA's Superfund program."

“The combined efforts of DEC and EPA have resulted in significant improvements at contaminated sites in the Capital Region,” DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. “From the dredging of the Hudson River to cleaning up former manufactured gas production facilities, the cooperative efforts of both agencies have resulted in a better environment and increased economic opportunities for the area. DEC looks forward to accomplishing future environmental wins in its partnership with EPA.”

Over a 30-year period, ending in the late 1970’s, at least 1.3 million pounds of PCBs were discharged into the Hudson River from two GE capacitor manufacturing plants located in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, NY. Earlier this month, dredging of the Hudson River began south of the village of Fort Edward and will continue approximately three miles downriver through the area of Griffin Island. The dredging is targeted to remove 350,000 cubic yards this year. The second phase of the historic Hudson River dredging project began in 2011 and targets 2.4 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment. In 2011, about 363,000 cubic yards were removed from a one and one-half mile section of river, while meeting the EPA’s strict limits for re-suspended sediment and the amount of area allowed to be capped. The EPA is overseeing the dredging project that is being conducted by General Electric under the terms of a 2006 legal agreement. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is supporting the EPA’s oversight of the cleanup. The entire second phase of the project is expected to take another four to six years to complete.

PCBs build up in the food chain and accumulate in the fatty tissue of fish and mammals. The primary health risk to people is from eating contaminated fish. PCBs are likely cancer-causing chemicals and can cause neurological damage, especially in children.

Anglers should consider that some fish species contain chemicals that may be harmful to people’s health and make informed decisions by consulting fish consumption advisories for waters such as the Hudson where chemical contamination may be a concern. In some areas of the Hudson River, fish should not be consumed at all.

The first site on today’s tour was once home to a junkyard and auto repair shops. A former manufactured gas production facility located nearby also used a right-of-way area adjacent to the scrapyard as disposal location for its purifier waste. That facility and the right-of-way are being cleaned up through New York State’s Superfund program under a Consent Order between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the responsible party, National Grid. The New York State Department of State has provided a $1 million grant to the city of Troy to construct a boat launch and restore a portion of the site.

On the second leg of today’s tour, the federal and local officials visited the Mercury Refining Superfund site, which used an industrial oven to recover mercury from batteries, thermometers, pressure regulators and dental amalgams. The recovered mercury was sold by the Mercury Refining Company from the mid 1950s to 1998. Prior to 1980, Mercury Refining disposed of waste contaminated with mercury over an embankment between an old process building and the railroad tracks to the south of the property, and mercury-contaminated rainwater drained off the site into the unnamed tributary to the creek. Mercury is an extremely toxic metal that can cause serious health problems, especially in children. Exposure to mercury can harm the heart, kidneys, lungs, immune and nervous systems.

The EPA has finalized a cleanup plan for the site that will address soil, sediment and ground water that is extensively contaminated with mercury and has overseen study and design work that is needed before the cleanup can begin. That work is expected to be completed by the spring of 2013.  

Under the cleanup plan for the Mercury Refining site, contaminated soil at the surface and more easily accessible to people will be excavated and taken off-site. Contaminated soil that is deeper will be treated using a solidification and stabilization technology, which will also stabilize contaminated ground water. This method treats the contaminated soil and ground water by locking the mercury in a mixture of portland cement and another agent, preventing it from moving into the surrounding soil and ground water. In addition, the cleanup plan calls for the removal of contaminated sediment from a tributary to Patroon Creek, which receives rainwater runoff from the Mercury Refining property. Water will be removed from the excavated creek sediment and disposed of at an off-site landfill. EPA is finalizing a settlement with responsible parties for the cleanup of the site.

For more information about the Hudson River dredging project, visit http://www.epa.gov/hudson and http://www.hudsondredgingdata.com For more information about Mercury Refining site visit http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/mercuryrefining/

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2

12-067                                                             #   #   #

EPA to Discuss Plans for Addressing Contaminated Passaic River Sediment

EPA to Discuss Plans for Addressing Contaminated Passaic River Sediment

                        Public Meetings Scheduled for May 9 in Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Contact: David Kluesner, (212) 637-3653, kluesner.dave@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – May 8, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will discuss plans to address high levels of contaminants, including PCBs, mercury and dioxin, which are present in Passaic River mud adjacent to Riverside Park in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Dioxin causes serious health effects, including cancer. PCBs are suspected carcinogens and mercury can cause serious damage to the nervous system. Steps are being taken under the Superfund program by the EPA to isolate and prevent movement of the contaminants from this area to other parts of the river. EPA is overseeing technical planning that has been initiated by the parties potentially responsible for the contamination. Superfund is the federal cleanup program established in 1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s most hazardous waste sites. The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. When sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA looks for parties responsible for the pollution and requires them to pay for the cleanups. Cleanups are only funded by taxpayer dollars when the responsible parties cannot be found or are not financially viable.

In the long term, risks to people wading in contaminated mud in the Passaic River alongside Riverside Park are slightly above EPA levels of concern. The EPA recommends that the public avoid wading in the mud flats in Lyndhurst.

The EPA will hold two public meetings on May 9 to discuss the planned cleanup actions and the results of recent sampling efforts in Riverside Park and the adjacent mud flats. The public meetings will be held from 3 PM to 5 PM and again from 7 PM to 9 PM in the court room of Lyndhurst Town Hall located at 367 Valleybrook Avenue.

The EPA estimates that cleanup work in the contaminated mud flats adjacent to Riverside County Park in Lyndhurst could begin in spring 2013 and extend for a period of time into summer 2013. The EPA will work closely with local officials, river and park users, the Passaic River Community Advisory Group, stakeholder organizations and the Lyndhurst community to provide information on these plans, coordinate the cleanup, and minimize possible disruptions to river and park use to the extent possible.

The EPA is overseeing a comprehensive investigation of contamination in the Passaic River that is being carried out by a group of parties potentially responsible for the contamination. Preliminary findings suggest that there could be six to eight additional mud flats in the Newark Bay to Garfield stretch of the river where elevated levels of contamination could warrant a closer look and possible action. While the EPA does not anticipate that the other mud flats present an immediate threat to recreational users of the park or river, it is working with the potentially responsible parties to plan additional sampling out of an abundance of caution. Those detailed sampling plans are being developed now to examine the mud flat areas.

Results from the latest round of mud flat sampling from this past winter are currently undergoing final review by the EPA. Any follow-up sampling deemed necessary by the EPA will likely take place under EPA oversight later this summer or fall, with results expected back in late 2012. EPA will provide the public with the sampling results as the information becomes available and will ensure that all communities are effectively engaged and informed.

Very low levels of PCBs, mercury and dioxin were found earlier this year in soil in the Lyndhurst and North Arlington sections of Riverside Park that likely were carried there by flooding. The concentrations of contaminants detected are well below established levels of concern for children and adolescents playing in the park and for workers maintaining the park. The EPA does not plan on additional sampling of the parks’ recreational areas and cleanup in the park is not necessary. The public can continue to enjoy using Riverside County Park in Lyndhurst but should practice proper hygiene that would normally be followed at any urban park that is prone to flooding.

Information on the investigation and cleanup activities in the lower Passaic River is available on the project Web sites at http://www.ourpassaic.org or http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/diamondalkali/

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

12-064                                                           # # # 

News Release from EPA Region 2

EPA Funding Available for Study of Raritan River in NJ

Contact: Mary Mears (212) 637-3673; mears.mary@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – March 13, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging applications for $100,000 in funding to study contaminated sites and other sources of pollution that are impacting water quality in the lower and middle Raritan River. This funding is part of an EPA Raritan River Initiative, which will support the analysis of existing data to enable environmental agencies, institutions, community groups and local governments to identify data gaps, plan future research and make other environmental decisions.

The Raritan River runs from west of Somerville, N.J. into the Raritan Bay. The river and the surrounding watershed is home to over one million people, providing drinking water, transportation and recreation opportunities and important habitat for wildlife. The watershed is impacted by many sources of pollution, including contaminated sites, industrial facilities and sewage treatment systems. While there is sampling data collected within the Raritan River watershed, this information is fragmented.

“This funding demonstrates the EPA's continued commitment to a cleaner and healthier Raritan River and the health of everyone who enjoys it," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "The data and information collected will help Raritan River communities better understand pollution that has affected river conditions and will assist in decision-making on the best ways to improve water quality.”

Using the funding, the selected applicant will identify high priority sites and sources of pollution that are potentially impacting the river. The resulting site list and associated data will then be made available to the public and put into a format that can be used by state agencies, country and local governments, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders to make environmental decisions. The data would also be used to create an interactive website to show exact locations of potentially polluting sites along the river along with the data for each site.

All applications are due no later than April 23, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Additional information on the grants, including guidance on eligibility and procedures for applying, is available at http://www.epa.gov/region2/grants/ or through http://www.grants.gov.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

12-039                                                # # #

Anacostia River Revitalization Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 9, 2012

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson Announces Creation of Anacostia River Revitalization Fund
 

EPA Administrator was joined by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to announce $1 million fund

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and David O’Neill of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) joined Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton of the District of Columbia this morning at Marvin Gaye Park to announce the creation of The Anacostia River Revitalization Fund.  The fund, which will invest $1 million in restoration activities this year, with a total goal of investing  $5 million over the next three years, will be used protect and restore the Anacostia River and to create a national model for watershed conservation. NFWF, in partnership with EPA and the DC Department of the Environment and with funding from corporate sponsors, created the fund, which will award grants to local partnering organizations.

"Clean waters and outdoor recreation can boost urban communities' human, environmental and economic health," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Through the Anacostia River Revitalization Fund, we're able to partner with state and local government agencies, private foundations and corporate sponsors to make the most of our resources and ensure our restoration efforts are as effective as possible."

“We are proud to be a partnering with EPA, the DC government, and our corporate sponsors to help restore this important river – for fish and wildlife, for clean water, for the residents of DC and for its neighborhoods where people live, work and play,” said David O’Neill of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “It is our goal to build this Fund so that it attracts new investments that will accelerate the restoration of the Anacostia and result in meaningful and measurable improvements to the river and to the communities that rest along its banks.”

"I'm excited and pleased that the Environmental Protection Agency is joining the District of Columbia and regional partners in our ongoing efforts to revitalize the Anacostia River," D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray said. "This important natural resource was neglected for too many years -- but it is central to our city's geography and increasingly to its identity as a beautiful, sustainable, livable city with miles of waterfront ripe for public use and private development."

“This important funding comes at a critical time, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the District and Maryland in the early stages of implementation of the 10-year Anacostia River cleanup plan mandated by my bill, the Anacostia Watershed Initiative Act”, said Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. These funds will move the District forward with the message that the city is serious about cleaning up the Anacostia River.”  
Specific grant selection criteria will be mutually agreed upon by NFWF, EPA, DDOE and other funding partners.  Priority will be given to projects focused on key tenants of the fund – improving water quality in the Anacostia River and its tributaries; achieving habitat restoration priorities for the Anacostia; engaging, employing and educating local residents and businesses; connecting the public to the Anacostia and its tributaries through enhanced outdoor recreation and volunteer opportunities; leveraging public and private funding to make the greatest conservation impact; and emphasizing the neighborhood benefits of watershed restoration to local economic development, public health, livability and as a neighborhood asset.

The establishment of the Anacostia River Restoration Fund is another step in advancing President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative. Through AGO, the administration is opening up access to millions of acres for recreation, designating thousands of miles of new land and water trails, increasing youth employment in conservation jobs, helping parks and green space become more accessible and clean in urban areas, and making historic investments in large landscapes such as the Everglades.

The Anacostia River is one of seven pilot locations as part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, an innovative union of 11 federal agencies, led by EPA, that focus on both natural resources and economic development and aims to use environmental restoration to protect people’s health and maximize economic growth.

Today’s announcement in Anacostia is one of several conservation announcements made nationwide over the past two weeks as part of the White House Conference on Conservation—Growing America’s Outdoor Heritage and Economy.  Last Friday’s conference convened hundreds of boaters, hunters, anglers, farmers, ranchers, land conservationists, historic preservationists, outdoor recreationists, small business owners, local governments, tribal leaders and other key stakeholders, strengthening partnerships and identifying next steps in tackling issues surrounding conservation and the great outdoors in urban cities and rural communities. During the conference, Washington, DC Mayor Vincent Gray participated in a panel discussion led by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, highlighting the importance of rivers and clean water to our cities.