NWF Report Says Climate Change Ruined Summer in the U.S.

August 30 – A new National Wildlife Federation report says climate change made its presence felt in disappointing, dangerous, and destructive ways this summer. From severe heat waves, devastating wildfires, catastrophic floods, serious crop damage, and destructive pests expanding their range; people in most parts of the U.S. suffered the impacts scientists have predicted for years. Those impacts will spill over into next year with higher food prices and damaged ecosystems struggling to rebound.

“This summer has been the season climate change became real to many Americans,” said Joe Mendelson, NWF’s director of climate and energy policy. “From burned houses to parched fields to West Nile virus, it’s time for all political parties to start protecting our homes, families, and communities. We need to get serious about reducing the uncontrolled carbon pollution that is ravaging our country.”

Important Wetland Gains Achieved in Mirasol Settlement near Corkscrew Sanctuary

August 23 – National Wildlife Federation and Florida Wildlife Federation and partner conservation groups achieved hundreds of acres of additional wetland protection and restoration in a landmark settlement over the Mirasol project, a proposed golf course development to be sited in wetlands and wood stork habitat of Florida’s Western Everglades. The groups had opposed and litigated to reduce the damage from this development for almost a decade.

This latest settlement follows on the groups’ 2010 settlement of challenges to the adjacent Saturnia Falls and Parklands developments. All three developments were proposed originally in 1999 in the ecologically sensitive Cocohatchee Slough, a natural wetland flowway emanating from Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The Slough plays a vital role in providing foraging habitat for the endangered wood stork, whose largest nesting rookery in the nation is at Corkscrew Swamp. The Cocohatchee Slough also provides vital regional watershed benefits, like water supply and flood protection.

August 28 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today is set to finalize new fuel efficiency and carbon standards, landmark rules that will double the fuel economy of America’s cars, SUVs and pickups to an average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said today:

“As a onetime General Motors mechanic, I’m proud to see Americans already proving we have what it takes to lead in a prosperous clean energy future. Taken together, new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks are the biggest step America has ever taken to cut carbon pollution and reduce our oil dependence, critical for wildlife which faces both the global threat of climate change and the direct impacts of oil spills and pollution.”

Make a Play Date with Nature

August 27 – Back to school shouldn’t mean back inside for kids. While busy school schedules, sports and other extra-curricular activities make free time for playing outdoors or a trek to the park more challenging, National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Learning Initiative at North Carolina State University, have developed a guide to creating enticing outdoor play spaces as close as your backyard, patio or balcony.

Nature Play at Home : A Guide for Boosting Children’s Healthy Development and Creativity shows parents and caregivers how they can turn an uninspired outdoor environment into an entertaining and exciting play area that will have kids from 1-12 years welcoming that frequent parental command, “Go outside and play!”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Climate Wire: Conservative Republicans launch a new group to promote clean energy(subscription required)
• Indian Country Today Media Network: Northwest Tribes Fight for Treaty Rights in Face of Coal-Transport Plan
• Greenwire: Company cancels Pacific Northwest shipping plans(subscription required)
• Metro Times: Hitting the pipe hard: Enbridge’s tar sands oil pipelines dodge oversight

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Sharks, like the Shortfin Mako shark, are apex predators and regulate the populations of marine life. Their absence poses significant risks for the health of entire ocean ecosystems. (Photo: Andy Murch/SeaPics.com)

Now celebrating its 25th year, Shark Week is changing its messaging and aiming to educate viewers on shark conservation.

Rachel Brittin, Communications Officer for Global Shark Conservation, agrees. “The first Shark Week was dramatic and bloody. Fast forward 25 years, Discovery has worked really hard to put a conservation tone on its programming.”

Joining the Pew Environment Group, shark attack survivors (featured in “Shark Fight”)  lobbied for stricter environmental regulations against shark finning loopholes in the United States, and even took part in a covert operation to collect shark fin soup samples from major US cities for analysis. The results are shocking.

Endangered sharks found in shark fin soup in major cities

In an unprecedented scientific analysis conducted by Stony Brook University, the Field Museum in Chicago and with support from the Pew Environment Group, the study concluded that shark fin soup served in 14 U.S. cities contains at-risk species, including scalloped hammerhead, a species listed as endangered globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“The DNA testing again confirms that a wide variety of sharks are being killed for the fin trade, including seriously threatened species,” said Dr. Demian Chapman, who co-led the DNA testing at the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University in New York. “U.S. consumers of shark fin soup cannot be certain of what’s in their soup. They could be eating a species that is in serious trouble.”

Find out what sharks species were found in shark fin soup in 14 U.S. cities:

Read the full results of the shark fin soup study.

Protecting sharks to save our oceans

Recent legislation has increased protections for sharks. China’s Government Offices Administration of the State Council has agreed to stop serving shark fin soup at official banquets. And in the United States, Illinois is now the fourth state in the continental US, and the second largest, to ban the sale, trade, possession, and distribution of shark fins, joining Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, where similar legislation has been passed.

Thank you, Discovery Channel, for educating 3.3 million viewers on the importance of protecting our oceans’ most valued predator. “It’s like the shark Superbowl,” said Brittin. “The Discovery Channel creates the fascination and we can use it as a rallying point to get involved.”

Take action to protect endangered and threatened shark species from shark fin soup or adopt your own Great White Shark! “Shark Fight” premieres on the Discovery Channel on August 15.

If you’re in Silver Spring, MD, say hi to Chompie, the Discovery Communications Shark Week mascot. (Instagram: @marinebiologist)

Natalie Morales and Al Roker sit in a perfectly accented faux living room and laugh with the crew. “Ten seconds,” yells a producer off camera. Natalie and Al bring their giggles down and seconds later, they are live on national television.

Somewhere off set, a baby camel nuzzes.

NWF on the Today Show

NWF media personality David Mizejewski is a regular presenter on the Today Show, appearing with a myriad of fun animals. His July 17th appearance focused on animals well-adapted to surviving in hotter temperatures. Over 13 million viewers tuned in, exposing them to the National Wildlife Federation’s conservation mission. Check out my backstage photo diary and learn some interesting facts about the featured animals.

Camel

(This little guy was only 3 1/2 months old!)

• Found in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa
• Stores fat in its hump, NOT water
• Long eyelashes and ear hairs, and sealable nostrils keep sand out
• Can withstand at least 20–25% weight loss from sweating (most mammals can only tolerate about 15%)

 Harris’s Hawk

• Found in the Southwestern United States, and Central and South America
• John James Audubon named this bird in honor of his ornithological companion, financial supporter, and friend Edward Harris
• Adult females are 35% larger than males
• While other raptors hunt alone, the Harris’s hawk hunts cooperatively in “packs”

Uromastyx

• Found in North Africa, Middle East and across south-central Asia and into India
• Diet consists mainly of plants, sometimes insects;  plants supply water needed to survive
• Skin changes colors according to temperature – darker pigmentation allows skin to absorb sunlight more effectively
• Loves to bask in areas with surface temperatures of over 50 °C (120 °F)

Sulcata tortoise

• Found in southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa
• Third largest species of tortoise in the world – can weigh up to 200 lbs!
• Average lifespan is 50-150 years
• Primarily herbivores; a diet with a lack of calcium combined with high protein can cause their shells to take on a pyramid appearance

Hamadryas baboon

• Found in the Horn of Africa and the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula
• Arid environments provide advantage of fewer natural predators
• Love to hang out and take naps by their favorite waterholes;  in the dry seasons, baboons will dig their own drinking holes only a short distance from natural waterholes
• Diet consists of various plants and insects, reptiles and even small mammals

Watch the full segment:

Kathy Lee and Hoda found themselves relating so much to the baboon’s eating habits that they continued to talk about it into the next hour of the Today Show!

Tune in Next Time

To find out when NWF’s next appearance on the Today Show will be, follow David Mizejewski on Facebook and Instagram for more nature photography, and check www.nwf.org/naturegeek for more updates.

If you enjoyed my photography, follow me on Instagram!

National Wildlife Federation along with Vermont Natural Resource Council, CLF, Sierra Club and VPRIG held a press conference in Montpelier, VT, concerning a proposed project allowing a 61 year old pipeline to carry tar sands from Montreal through Vermont and New Hampshire to Portland, Maine.

Enbridge Energy’s environmental record is far from perfect—Enbridge is the same pipeline company that leaked approximately 1,000,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, Michigan in 2010.

“This really ancient pipeline has already spilled, including a spill 35 years ago that fouled Lake Memphemagog,” said Curtis Fisher of National Wildlife Federation. “The pipeline cuts across the Missisquoi, Black, Moose, and Connecticut Rivers, which all are critical wildlife habitats and attract a large number of tourists. Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom is known for being the state’s most pristine area. Vermonters do not want to risk our beloved natural resources to help dirty oil companies make billions and dramatically increase climate change.”

A broad coalition of organizations are defying plans from the Canadian oil pipeline company Enbridge Energy to build their “Trailbreaker” pipeline. These groups are stressing that the pipeline plan is unsafe and that a tar sands oil spill would harm Vermont’s waterways, wildlife and tourism economy.

“Vermont is pursuing a clean energy future in large part because Vermonters know that we depend on cold weather industries like skiing, and sugaring,” said Sandra Levine of Conservation Law Foundation. “Tar sands are a carbon bomb that will catapult us past several dangerous climate tipping points. It has no part in Vermont’s clean energy future.”

Tar Sands Too Risky

The proposed pipeline reversal scheme commonly referred to as “Trailbreaker” would reverse the flow of oil through an existing pipeline and would bring tar sands oil through Ontario, Quebec, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. A new NRDC report explains that unlike the conventional crude oil that currently flows through the pipeline, tar sands is far more corrosive, is more likely to spill, and much harder to clean up when it does spill.

“This pipeline plan puts Vermont’s rivers, lakes and streams in jeopardy and provides no benefits. The company behind it is responsible for the largest tar sands oil spill in U.S. history, which they still haven’t cleaned up,” said Johanna Miller of Vermont Natural Resources Council. “Oil giants don’t call the shots in here in Vermont and they can’t be allowed to put our state’s natural treasures in jeopardy.”

The tar sands industry has been in a desperate search for a port of export since the Keystone XL and Northern Gateway projects have become mired in controversy. The growing expansion of tar sands pipelines eastward raises concerns about the climate implications of a tar sands expansion to Central Canada and the U.S. Northeast. The U.S. Congressional Research Service recently released a report confirming tar sands as the most carbon-heavy oil on the planet (PDF), representing a significant increase in greenhouse gases from typical petroleums.

“Tar sands oil is like hot liquid sandpaper that corrodes pipelines, creating a greater risk of devastating oil spills along the route,” said Danielle Droitsch, NRDC Senior Attorney. “We cannot afford to blindly accept the climate and environmental dangers that come packed with ever-increasing amounts of tar sands being shoved south of the border. Trailbreaker isn’t alone—it is part of a stealth invasion of the U.S. from Canada’s dirty oil—it puts Central Canada and the Northeast squarely on the front lines.”

Click here to help protect Northeastern wildlife from dirty tar sands oil.

Waves in Kauai, Hawaii (Photo: Marine Jaouen)

On World Oceans Day, I want to reflect on one of the biggest problems facing our oceans today – overfishing. Commercial fishing practices are a significant source of stress on our oceans.

The statistics are grim: 3/4 of the world’s fish stocks are being harvested faster than they can reproduce. Eighty percent are already fully exploited or in decline. Ninety percent of all large predatory fish – including tuna, sharks, swordfish, cod and halibut – are gone. Scientists predict that if current trends continue, world food fisheries could collapse entirely by 2050.

The Dangers of Overfishing

Fresh shark fins drying on the sidewalk in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. (Photo: Cloneofsnake/Flickr)

Bottom trawling (heavy weights attached to a large net dragged along the sea floor) destroys everything in its path, including thousand-year-old coral reefs and delicate deep sea ecosystems. Shrimp trawling is one of the worst forms of commercial fishing – bycatch rates can range between 70% and 90%, entangling and drowning everything in its path, including turtles, sharks, and dolphins.

Another source of strain comes from the high demand for shark fin soup in China. One bowl of shark fin soup can fetch up to $100 or more, and scientists are realizing that these top predators are necessary to maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.

(Check out BBC’s Blue Planet special Deep Trouble for a comprehensive overview of the issues plaguing our oceans).

Want to do your part?

Here are three simple activities you can do to raise awareness of our oceans’ problems

1. Eat sustainable fish. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, “One in five people on this planet depends on fish as their primary source of protein.” Find out which seafood is safe for you and the oceans by reading up on seafood eco-ratings by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
2. Avoid plastic bottles and bags. Did you know that there is an island the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean that is made entirely of trash? Turtles, seabirds, and other marine animals often mistake trash for food, but you can do them a favor – keep our oceans trash-free! Recycle plastic bags at grocery stores and use reusable water bottles.
3. Sign up for a clean-up. If you want to get your hands dirty, join people across the globe in a nearby clean-up or organize an event near you.

Tribes Welcome Home Yellowstone Bison

March 21 – After more than a century’s absence, wild, genetically pure bison have returned to tribal lands on the Great Plains in a homecoming that reunites Native Americans with the iconic species that was a fundamental part of their culture and the prairie ecosystem.

Sixty-three bison from Yellowstone National Park were trucked 500 miles to Fort Peck in Montana’s far northeastern corner. Tribal members from Fort Peck and Fort Belknap hosted Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and representatives of the National Wildlife Federation and Defenders of Wildlife at the animals’ arrival Wednesday.

Celebrate EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife During National Wildlife Week, March 19-25, 2012

March 19 – What do the bull shark, wood frog, rhinoceros beetle and pronghorn have in common? They all perform some amazing feats which is why they were selected to be featured during National Wildlife Week, March 19-25. The theme for the week this year is EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife and will celebrate wildlife and their incredible talents.

Since 1938, National Wildlife Week has been a time to learn about wildlife and nature. This year, children, youth and adults are taking time to explore wildlife through five different lenses (innovative defenses, record breakers, super senses, survive in unusual habitats, and special adaptation). Forty-five wildlife species including plants will be highlighted. The bull shark for example can survive in both fresh and salt water. The wood frog freezes during the winter, then thaws in the spring to mate. The rhinoceros beetle can support 850 times its body weight. The pronghorn is the fastest U.S. mammal, clocking over fifty miles per hour.

Global Climate Change Will Increase Anxiety, Fear and Depression

March 22 – The impact of global climate change on Americans’ mental health has been largely ignored, even though the incidence of mental and social disorders will rise steeply if climate change is not curtailed, adding significant costs to the already $317 billion in annual mental health care expenditures and lost productivity in the U.S., concludes a major new study. “The greatest public costs could come from ignoring the effects,” the report concludes.

Because extreme weather events and disasters will be more severe and more frequent, the U. S. will see a rise in illnesses like depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, suicide and violence.

New Guide Helps Parents Overcome Obstacles to Getting Kids Outdoors

March 20 – Spring has sprung but how many kids have noticed? Many may be glued to video games or too busy tweeting to go outside and hear a real tweet. In addition to the lure of electronic gadgets, the great outdoors has lots of competition when it comes to kids. To help parents incorporate more “green time” into their children’s lives National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement has created “Outdoor Play for Every Day: A Parent’s Guide for Overcoming Common Obstacles to Kids and Outdoor Play”.

Most parents intuitively understand that spending time outdoors is good for their kids: it makes them grow lean and strong, enhances imaginations, and gives them time to let off steam and just be a kid.

President Obama’s Dangerous Wrong Turn on Energy

March 22 – Speaking on energy policy yesterday, President Obama said, “You have my word that we will keep drilling everywhere we can, and we will do it while protecting the health and safety of the American people.” Today he heads to Cushing, OK, site of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline’s southern leg, where he will announce efforts to rush its review, and those of future pipelines. A thorough review process is critical for protecting clean water from flawed oil projects.

The new emphasis on rushing oil companies’ projects comes on the heels of devastating oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, Yellowstone River, and the Kalamazoo River. A 2010 NWF report found thousands of spills on and offshore have occurred over the last decade, with Oklahoma ranking seventh for most pipeline spills.

New Report: Strong Farm Bill Key to Great Lakes Restoration

March 21 – In a new report issued today, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is urging federal public officials to strengthen and support successful farm conservation programs that are vital to restoring the health of the Great Lakes. Read the full report here (PDF).

“Farm conservation programs are essential for Great Lakes restoration,” said Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Farm conservation programs are producing results, but there is more work to do. Cutting support for these successful programs now will cause problems to get worse and more costly to solve.”

NWF Supports New Federal Wind-Wildlife Guidelines

March 23 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released the final version of its Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines to assist federal agencies, wind energy developers, and the public in avoiding and minimizing impact on wildlife and habitat when locating, designing and operating wind energy projects. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) applauds the Service, who developed the voluntary guidelines from the consensus recommendations of a Federal Advisory Committee composed of wildlife organizations, state and federal wildlife managers, wildlife scientists, and wind energy developers.

“Climate change poses an enormous threat to both the human environment and the earth’s biologic diversity, and for that reason, National Wildlife Federation is pursuing a rapid and responsible transition to clean energy,” says Justin Allegro, manager of the Renewable Energy and Wildlife Program at NWF. “However, poorly planned and designed wind energy activities can have significant adverse impacts to wildlife and habitats. This crucial framework will help lead to wind energy projects that wildlife advocates can feel good about in the short term, and avoid the types of bad projects that impede the growth of needed new energy solutions in the long term.”

Gulf Ads Thank Gulf Senators for Passing Gulf Restoration Amendment

March 23 – Five Gulf state newspapers will run full-page color ads starting today thanking the nine Gulf senators who recently voted in favor of legislation to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from the parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf ecosystem and economy.

The ads features a “thank you” from 62 Gulf businesses, business groups and restoration advocacy groups to the nine Gulf senators who “led an overwhelmingly bipartisan group of 76 senators to pass the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act [to] help repair and strengthen the communities, businesses and environment…still suffering nearly two years after the unprecedented Gulf oil disaster.”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Television: Naturalist David Mizejewski was on the Today show live with 2 gray wolves as well as 17 TV outlets, via live satellite talking about how gray wolves are being poisoned in Alberta in a misguided plan to protect woodland caribou from energy development. 12.2 million views saw him on Today alone.David and Dr. Doug Inkley have or soon will be heard on 32 radio stations around the country commenting on this unfolding tragedy. They were interviewed by the following stations:
  • WISH-TV, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
  • KUSA/KDVR-TV, DENVER, CO
  • REUTERS TV, NATIONAL
  • WJBK-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • WHAM-TV, ROCHESTER, NY
  • WTVC-TV, CHATTANOOGA, TN
  • KOB-TV, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
  • WYAM-TV, REGIONAL – ALABAMA
  • WXIA-TV, ATLANTA, GA
  • WRAL-TV, RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC
  • WSET-TV, ROANOKE, VA
  • LIFESCRIPT TV, NATIONAL
  • KGUN-TV, TUCSON, AZ
  • WXYZ-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • FOXNEWS.COM, NATIONAL
  • KCTU-TV, WICHTIA, KS
  • XETV, SAN DIEGO, CA
• Radio: Board member, Dr. Lise Van Susteren was our spokesperson in a day long radio tour about NWF’s new report on the psychological toll climate change will have on Americans. These interviews reached millions with this warning and what they can do to fight and prepare for climate change. Dr. Van Susteren was interviewed by the following outlets:
  • POLNET RADIO NETWORK, NATIONAL
  • WTBQ-AM, NEW YORK
  • WHCR-FM, NEW YORK
  • METRO NETWORKS, SEATTLE (SYNDICATED)
  • WICH-AM, HARTFORD
  • NORTHERN NEWS NETWORK, MONTANA (STATEWIDE)
  • WAMV-AM, ROANOKE
  • WALR-FM, ATLANTA
  • USA RADIO, NATIONAL
  • KMA-AM, OMAHA
  • WFIN-AM, TOLEDO
  • WJSS-AM, BALTIMORE
  • WXBR-AM, BOSTON
  • WOCA-AM, ORLANDO
  • WSRB-FM, CHICAGO
  • WDIS-AM, BOSTON
  • KPQ-AM, SEATTLE
  • WCHE-AM, PHILADELPHIA
• 9.9 million viewers saw the story of the reintroduction of pure blood bison on to tribal lands in a story from NBC Nightly News. President Larry Schweiger commented for the report on this great NWF success. News of the bison’s return also ran a total 50 times on other regional TV stations.
• Director of the National Advocacy Center, Adam Kolton was seen on 26 NBC stations nationwide as well as the #2 national newscast in Canada commenting on President Obama’s energy speech.
• Marc Smith was on the radio tour in Minnesota and Wisconsin talking about the latest capture of invasive Asian Carp. He was heard in 5 markets including the #1 wacky rock’in morning show in the Twin Cities.
• The Denver Post (op-ed): Guest Commentary: Appreciating wild creatures during National Wildlife Week
• Public News Service (OH): Pain at the Pump? New Fuel Standards Could Ease the Burden
• Reuters: At Oklahoma oil hub, Obama pledges to speed part of pipeline
• The Washington Post: Stink bugs migrating to the Deep South

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Atlantic lion fish populations emerged after a handful of specimens were released from aquariums in the 1990s. (Photo: Tinou Bao/Flickr)

Asian carp are stealing valuable resources from native Great Lakes fish while Burmese pythons are destroying small mammal populations throughout the Florida Everglades. Similarly, lion fish are invading Atlantic reefs and  disrupting the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.

First spotted in the early 1990s, the now established lion fish populations are commonly thought to originate from only six specimens which escaped into the Atlantic after Hurricane Andrew broke aquariums in Florida in 1992. Now, the fish are widespread along the Eastern coast of the United States, from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, down to the Bahamas, and even all the way north in Massachusetts.

Sneaking to the Top of the Food Chain

Once aquarium fish, lion fish have adapted very well to their new environments. They are quickly replacing top predators like sharks by eating large quantities of prey, such as small fish, invertebrates, and mollusks. In turn, the lion fish has very few natural predators, thanks to its venomous spines, leaving it free to wreak ecological havoc on the coral reefs. In fact, lion fish can devour up to three-quarters of a reef’s fish population in just five weeks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Eradication Efforts Abroad

Lion fish are continuing to spread, but there are organized eradication efforts underway. Diving competitions encourage divers to spear as many lion fish as possible and chefs have been introducing lion fish to their menus.

As with any invasive species, lion fish eradication should be aggressive and persistent. With major problems plaguing the world’s waters, like ocean acidification, overfishing, and increased trash and pollution, we need to take drastic steps towards restoring our once beautiful oceans.

Support NWF’s efforts to fight invasive species and to restore and protect our fragile reef ecosystems.

Eagle Cam is Back! Watch Iowa Bald Eagle Eggs Hatching Live

Decorah Bald Eagles (UStream screen shot)

February 18 – Did you join us last year as we watched two Iowa bald eagles care for newly hatched eagle chicks? Thanks to the Raptor Resource Center, the eagle cam we all came to love is back!  Join the National Wildlife Federation family again this year as we watch the eagles hatch and grow!

Who operates and maintains this eagle cam?

The Raptor Resource Project maintains the cams, of which there are two. The feed is streamed online 24/7. Both are positioned on one of the nest’s supporting limbs about 4-5 feet above the nest. The main cam is automated and is trained on the nest. The other cam has pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. At dark the main cam switches to infrared (invisible to the eagles) night-time view.

NWF Pledges to Fight Heartland Institute Intimidation Campaign

February 21 – The National Wildlife Federation today received a cease and desist letter from the Heartland Institute demanding that all references to Heartland’s so-called “Denialgate” leaked internal documents be scrubbed from the National Wildlife Federation website. However, the letter makes no specific legal accusations and the Heartland Institute continues to refuse to say whether the documents are legitimate, whether its reported plan to infiltrate America’s schools is true, or who is funding it.

The National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Promise blog discussed the documents posted to other sites in two posts, Koch-Funded Plan in Development to Teach K-12 Kids Global Warming isn’t Real and From the Heartland: An Inside Look at the Extreme Right’s War on K-12 Climate and Environmental Education. The Associated Press reported that David Wojick, the contractor cited in the documents as the author of a proposed climate disinformation campaign targeted at K-12 students, confirmed “the document was accurate about his project to put curriculum materials in schools that promote climate skepticism.”

EPA Permit Too Weak to Protect Great Lakes, U.S. Waters from Ballast Water Invaders

Zebra mussels

The organizations call on EPA to strengthen a proposed permit to regulate ballast water discharges from commercial vessels. The comment period on the permit ends today.

National Hunting, Angling Groups Applaud Move to Finalize Clean Water Act Guidance

February 23 – This week, the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers submitted revised Clean Water Act guidance to the Office of Management and Budget. Sportsmen applaud this critical step in restoring important protections for America’s waters.

“These rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands are essential for hunting and angling, providing fish and wildlife habitat and an economic boost to local economies,” said Steve Moyer, vice president of government relations for Trout Unlimited. “Every year, millions of anglers spend $45 billion to fish in rivers, lakes and streams across the country. Together, hunting, angling, and wildlife watching contribute an estimated $122 billion to the economy annually.”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• HTRnews.com: Groups say EPA ballast proposal too lenient
• Sheboygan Press: Environmentalists threaten suit over ballast rule
• Bridge MI: A plan to curb carp, before it’s too late
• Nola.com: Gulf of Mexico oil spill partial settlement would give Louisiana $13.5 million

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Click here to view the embedded video.

Be a voice for wildlife. Donate today to help support National Wildlife Federation’s efforts to protect wildlife and wild places across America.

Protesters carry an inflatable Keystone Xl pipeline around the White House during the Nov. 6th rally. (Photo: Marine Jaouen)

“More than 500,000 Americans have submitted comments opposing this tar sands pipeline,” said Jeremy Symons, Senior Vice President of the National Wildlife Federation. “Never before has there been this level of public opposition to a single energy project.” In a telephone conference call with reporters, the experts laid out the motivations of the pipeline backers, and explained the dangers posed by their efforts.

Faulty Jobs Claim

While Transcanada has been marketing its 20,000 new jobs claim since the beginning, the Cornell Global Labor Institute has debunked their claims. “A good portion of that money was already spent in Canada or has been spent in sourcing the materials or some of the land clearance issues,” said Sean Sweeney, director of the Cornell University Global Labor Institute.” Transcanada has informed the State Department that the project would create 2,500 to 4,600 direct construction jobs of a temporary nature.”

Labor unions agree that the nature of the project would be a step backwards for future clean energy jobs. Roger Toussaint, International Vice President of the Transport Workers Union, said, “the dangers of the pipeline are compelling and no one should believe the claims of, either the Republican leadership or the energy companies, with respect to the project being shovel ready or with respect to the number of jobs it’s going to produce.” Joe Uehlein, Board President of the Labor Network for Sustainability, agrees. “We can’t create jobs that are going to destroy our future. Every dollar spent on projects like KXL is a dollar not spent on the future.”

In addition, the possibility of an oil spill wouldbe devastating for an already fragile  economy. “U.S. government data shows that spill damage in 2010 alone approached a billion dollars,” said Sweeney, “and the cleanup operations, while they do create jobs, they are actually siphoning capital and resources away from other job creation projects and initiatives.”

Looking Out For a Clean Energy Future

Investment in pipelines like KXL would send the wrong message towards the pursuit of clean energy jobs. “Tar sands oil is corrosive and more dangerous to pipelines than regular oil, and tar sands pipelines are leaking across the nation at an unprecedented rate,” said Symons. In addition to tar sands being environmentally dangerous, they have the potential to deter future green sponsors “There’s a serious chilling effect on investors, both private and public, around the issue of green economic investments,” said Sweeney.

There’s no place for a Keystone XL rider in this tax bill. Like the folks who took this poor sloth off the highway, it’s time for us to remove this poison pill from this bill.

Click here to view the embedded video.