American Bird Conservancy’s Post

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held an Endangered Species Act-FIFRA Mitigation Workshop on May 9, which addressed how proposed mitigations would impact growers in different regions. The agency indicated it “heard a strong interest in incorporating existing state, local, and other voluntary #conservation programs into the final Herbicide Strategy Framework for runoff and erosion mitigation.” The #EPA also recognized the need for stakeholder support – including education and training, financial, and technical assistance to effectively implement the proposed mitigation strategies – and simplifying the implementation process for growers. The final #Herbicide Strategy Framework will be released by Aug. 30. It will help inform the draft #Insecticide Strategy Framework that will be issued for public comment by July 30. https://ow.ly/8YlC50S2v4J

We appreciate the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s ongoing efforts to evolve the Endangered Species Act Workplan in a way that balances environmental protection with the needs of effective pest management! Our recent letter to EPA emphasizes the importance of ongoing stakeholder engagement and recognizes the progress made during the May Mitigation Workshop and June Mitigation Menu Webinar. These steps are crucial for refining mitigation strategies and helping ensure that growers can continue to protect crops effectively while adhering to environmental safeguards. #ESA #Sustainability #ClimateSmartAg https://lnkd.in/gMfGwEsH

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved the import and release of four insects to control the spread of purple loosestrife, an invasive wetland weed. Horizons Regional Council applied to introduce the four insects in the Manawatū-Whanganui region as biocontrol agents to target different parts of the purple loosestrife plant, Lythrum salicaria. “These insects have been used as biocontrol agents for more than 30 years in the USA and Canada, where they reduced purple loosestrife infestations by up to 90 percent,” says Dr Chris Hill, General Manager, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms. “We hope the introduction of these insects will help slow the spread of this highly aggressive weed and protect our precious wetland ecosystems.” The insects are: ➡ two beetles that eat the plant’s leaves Neogalerucella calmariensis (commonly known as the black-margined loosestrife beetle) and Neogalerucella pusilla (commonly known as the golden loosestrife beetle), ➡ a root-feeding weevil, Hylobius transversovittatus (commonly known as the loosestrife root weevil), ➡ a weevil that eats purple loosestrife flowers, Nanophyes marmoratus (commonly known as the loosestrife flower weevil). For more information: https://ow.ly/34SN50Ry4jz

𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗔𝗪 - 2 PROHIBITED ACTS Section One: Prohibited acts Article 42: Prohibitions in wetlands and protected areas Acts prohibited in wetlands and protected areas are as follows: 9° to compact or change the nature of the #wetland; 10° to build in the swamp and in the buffer zone in a distance of twenty metres (20 m) away from the #swamp boundaries; 11° to drain the swamps without prior #authorization of the competent authority; 12° to drain, divert or block the #rivers without prior authorization of the competent authority; 13° to carry out any activity, except that related to research and science in #reserved swamps; 14° to introduce #plants or animal species whether alien or #indigenous into wetlands without prior authorization of the competent authority; 15° to #dump, make flow any hazardous #waste, waste water, except after treatment in accordance with relevant 16° to dump, make flow, dispose of and store any substance in a place where it may cause or facilitate #pollution of national waters. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #RwandaEnvironment #EnvironmentalLaw #SustainableDevelopment #WetlandProtection #EnvironmentalAwareness #ConservationMatters #GreenRwanda

📌🔎📢 #MICROPLASTICS, #SEWAGESLUDGE, #AGRICULTURE AND #CHEMICALCONTAMINATION IN THE #UK‼️👀👇🏼⬇️ Today, Fidra, Environmental Investigation Agency, and 16 co-signatory organisations have published a joint position paper highlighting the critical and urgent need for #regulatory action on addressing #microplastic and #chemical #contamination of #sewage #sludge used in #agriculture. Full Position Paper: https://lnkd.in/e3JD_Ycx We urge the #UK #government to adopt these #recommendations swiftly to protect our #soils, #waterways, and #public #health. Such regulations will pave the way for a #safer, more #sustainable #circular #economy. #microplastics #PFAS #sewage #sludge #circulareconomy

The U.S. #Canola Association was among 32 #agricultural groups that submitted a letter to the United State Environmental Protection Agency urging it to add Drift Reduction Adjuvants to the list of mitigation options available to #pesticide users for Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance. The groups noted that the #EPA is moving quickly to implement ESA-related proposals and pesticide users need as many effective, practicable and affordable options as possible to meet ESA obligations. https://ow.ly/JZfu50S2xAG Northern Canola Growers Assn

Today, Fidra, Environmental Investigation Agency, and 16 co-signatory organisations have published a joint position paper highlighting the critical and urgent need for regulatory action on addressing microplastic and chemical contamination of sewage sludge used in agriculture. Full Position Paper: https://lnkd.in/e3JD_Ycx We urge the UK government to adopt these recommendations swiftly to protect our soils, waterways, and public health. Such regulations will pave the way for a safer, more sustainable circular economy. #microplastics #PFAS #sewage #sludge #circulareconomy

📌🔎📢 #MICROPLASTICS, #SEWAGESLUDGE, #AGRICULTURE AND #CHEMICALCONTAMINATION IN THE #UK‼️👀👇🏼⬇️ Today, Fidra, Environmental Investigation Agency, and 16 co-signatory organisations have published a joint position paper highlighting the critical and urgent need for #regulatory action on addressing #microplastic and #chemical #contamination of #sewage #sludge used in #agriculture. Full Position Paper: https://lnkd.in/e3JD_Ycx We urge the #UK #government to adopt these #recommendations swiftly to protect our #soils, #waterways, and #public #health. Such regulations will pave the way for a #safer, more #sustainable #circular #economy. #microplastics #PFAS #sewage #sludge #circulareconomy

Some positive news out of my hometown: Conservation groups have settled with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to compel Clean Water Act permitting of the Piney Point Phosphate Plant. The permit will include effluent limits on, among many other parameters, pH, turbidity, and, relevant to the disaster underlying this litigation, phosphorus and nitrogen levels. In 2021, Piney Point released 215 million gallons of phosphorus and nitrogen-rich wastewater into Tampa Bay with no CWA permit, prompting the Bay's worst red tide outbreak since 1971 and killing 4 million pounds of marine life. Red tide is the nickname for a neurotoxic alga, Karenia Brevis, that blooms with increased phosphorus and nitrogen in the water. One of many morbid examples of its ecological harm is to manatees -- a threatened species that has experienced a 20% decrease in population in the last two years and, by most accounts, should be reclassified as endangered. After feeding on seagrass poisoned by K. brevis, manatees convulse as the neurotoxins affect their nervous systems. They lose motor control and drown while involuntarily inhaling water. K. brevis also exacerbates seagrass decline, contributing to the mass starvation of manatees seen in recent years. This disaster in my hometown was one of the catalysts for my decision to pursue environmental law, so it's particularly gratifying to see this settlement. What's more, I look forward to my fall externship with one of the groups behind this litigation, the Center for Biological Diversity, helping to protect our wildlife on the basis of its intrinsic value and holding to account those who so readily pursue the prospect of economic gain at such an expense to the environment's well-being. https://lnkd.in/gUkSq_Vp

A recent Michigan Supreme Court decision authorizes state environment regulators to take a range of actions to clear state waters of extensive pollution from factory livestock and poultry farms. The ruling could transform how animal agriculture is regulated in Michigan, and potentially influence how other state and federal regulators oversee the industry’s mammoth waste stream, according to environmental lawyers and activists. Changes include requiring CAFOS to treat manure in wastewater facilities to remove toxic chemicals and bacteria before the manure is spread on fields. EGLE could also require CAFOS to install sensing and monitoring networks to assure that manure storage tanks and lagoons are not leaking and watersheds are not being polluted. And the agency could also require animal agriculture to meet state limits for phosphorus, bacteria, and other pollutants in state waters’ and could limit the number of animals housed in a CAFO. “It [EGLE] can now clearly do what is necessary to protect water quality in Michigan,” said Tyler Lobdell, staff attorney for Food and Water Watch, a national environmental law and policy group that has petitioned the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate CAFO wastes. “It’s fully empowered to rein in factory farm pollution.” https://lnkd.in/g6yeuQmN