American Bird Conservancy (ABC) has petitioned the U.S. Department of the Interior to protect millions of birds from the negative impacts of wind energy by developing regulations that will safeguard wildlife and reward responsible wind energy development. The more than 100-page petition for rulemaking, prepared by ABC and the Washington, D.C.-based public interest law firm of Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, calls for establishing a mandatory permitting system for the operation of wind energy projects and mitigation of their impacts on migratory birds.
Now we are asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to open a public comment period and create rules to protect birds. Please send your comment!
Thus far, over sixty organizations have endorsed the petition. To add your organization to the list of endorsements, please contact sholmer@abcbirds.org.
The Greater Sage-grouse, iconic bird of the western sagebrush, has suffered extensive population declines in recent decades, and continues to be impacted by oil and gas drilling, wind energy development, and livestock grazing across a vast region. We have a chance to change that!
The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service are developing a plan to conserve this imperiled bird that will affect how nearly 50 million acres of public lands from Colorado to Oregon will be managed.
Please tell the government to:
·Protect sage-grouse habitat from energy development and overgrazing
·Create sagebrush reserves that protect remaining habitat
·Develop best management practices that take into account all sagebrush-dependent species and population segments
Please read the letter below that will be sent to the Bureau of Land Management and take a moment to add your own comments. Then fill in your contact information and send your message to help save this imperiled bird.
In December 2011, American Bird Conservancy formally petitioned the U.S. Department of Interior to protect millions of birds from the negative impacts of wind energy by developing regulations that will safeguard wildlife and reward responsible wind energy development.
The petition urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue regulations establishing a mandatory permitting system for the siting and operation of wind energy projects and mitigation of their impacts on migratory birds.
Without such a permitting system, millions of migratory birds could be harmed by ill-advised wind projects. In addition, the wind industry would not have any legal certainty that their wind developments are in compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and they could therefore be subject to criminal or civil penalties for violation.
Show your support for this petition, and request that the government open an official public comment period by adding your name to our list of supporters.
Bird-friendly Gregory Bateson building in Sacremento; Mechano Shade
We need your help to pass bird-friendly building legislation in your city!
Every year, hundreds of millions of birds die in the United States by crashing into windows. The San Francisco Planning Department has created Standards for Bird-safe Buildings to prevent this happening in the City and save the lives of countless birds. These standards, which require bird-friendly design of new structures in high risk areas of San Francisco, were approved by the Land Use Subcommittee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on September 12, and will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors on this coming Tuesday, September 20.
While many architects and other members of the construction industry are strongly supportive, a last-minute attack is underway by a faction claiming that this as a non-existent or trivial problem, the concern of a few bird-loving eccentrics, which will impose unacceptable costs on development. Intense lobbying is being directed at San Francisco’s Mayor and the Board of Supervisors. We urgently need to respond by showing local support for the Standards. Will you help?
Please enter in your information below to contact the officials and tell them that birds are in trouble from collisions, that it is possible to have excellent and bird-friendly architecture at no additional cost, and that you support passage of the Standards by the Board. We have drafted a letter for you, but the addition of your thoughts will give the greatest impact.
Thank you in advance for helping save the lives of birds in San Francisco!
Christine Sheppard, PhD
American Bird Conservancy Collisions Program Director
A major source of bird conservation funding has expired. Without re-authorization, the well-being of our beautiful migrant songbirds could be dealt a serious blow.
Photo: Scarlet Tanager by Ralph Wright
Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) and Representative Jim Gerlach (R-PA) have introduced legislation to reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds that is available throughout the Americas.
The program is currently expired, meaning that Congress can cease all funding. The Kind-Gerlach bill (H.R. 1456) would extend the program until 2016 and allow it to continue to receive full federal funding.
NMBCA has a proven track-record of success, having supported 367 projects in 48 U.S. states/territories and 36 other countries since its inception in 2002. It has leveraged nearly $152 million in non-federal matching funds, and advanced conservation for many declining species, such as the Cerulean Warbler.
Take action now!
Tell your Representative how important the NMBCA is, and encourage them to cosponsor the Kind/Gerlach bill.
Simply enter your zip code below to find which Representatives in your state have already co-sponsored the legislation and which have yet to do so. We have drafted letters for you, but your personal comments will increase the impact of your email, so please consider making your own edits to the letter body and subject lines. Then just enter your address and send the email.
Thank you for your support in ensuring that the NMBCA re-authorization is passed.
The U.S. House of Representatives will soon begin debate on, H.R. 2584, an environmental spending bill that is one of the worst assaults on birds and other wildlife ever to come before Congress. The bill is loaded with devastating funding cuts and anti-environmental provisions that will wreak havoc on our land, water, air, and wildlife. Bird conservation programs face some of the steepest cuts:
• The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds throughout the Americas, will be completely eliminated.
• State Wildlife Grants, the nation’s core program for preventing birds and wildlife from becoming endangered, has been reduced by over 64%.
• The North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which provides funding for conservation projects that benefit wetland birds, has been reduced by over 40%.
• The Endangered Species Act would be effectively gutted by preventing the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service from spending any money to list a new species or designate Critical Habitat that is vital to endangered species’ survival.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would be prohibited from implementing any measures to protect endangered species from pesticides, spelling disaster for species that are already on the brink of extinction due to pesticides and other threats.
Kirtland's Warbler by Ron Austing
Please ACT NOW! Tell your Representative to prevent these funding cuts and anti-environmental provisions and to vote NO on H.R. 2584.
We have made it easy for you to take action - simply click on the link below, enter your zip code, and then send the automatically generated email to your Representatives by asking them to vote against these funding cuts and anti-environmental provisions and to vote NO on the final passage of H.R. 2584.
For additional impact, take a little extra time to add some thoughts of your own to the text we have provided. For maximum impact, please call your Representitives (instructions found here).
Sincerely,
Anne Law
Deputy Director of Conservation Advocacy
Today, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee zeroed out funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grants program which is the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds throughout the Americas.
Congress should not defund a program that has a proven track-record of success, having supported 333 projects in 48 U.S. states/territories and 36 other countries since its inception in 2002 and leveraging millions of dollars in matching contributions. Advances in conservation for many declining species, such as the Cerulean Warbler, owe much to the NMBCA.
Your Representative needs to hear from bird advocates like you today to ensure that this critical bird conservation program continues to be funded. Please tell your Representative how important this program is and urge them to restore funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
Cerulean Warbler by Barth Schorre
We have made it easy for you to take action now - simply click enter your zip code below and then send the automatically generated email to your Representatives asking them to restore funding to this critical program.
Please consider taking a little extra time to add some thoughts of your own to the text we have provided. This greatly increases the chances of your comments being read by your Representitives.
Thank you for your help in ensuring the next generation of Americans will have a chance to appreciate the native birds we enjoy today.
Sincerely,
Anne Law
Deputy Director of Conservation Advocacy
In June, the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee approved H.R. 872, a bill that will exempt pesticide users who spray over waterways from the Clean Water Act. The bill now moves to the full Senate. If passed, the legislation would reverse a 2009 federal court decision requiring pesticide users to obtain a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency in order to discharge pesticides directly into waterways.
Pesticides discharged into U.S. waterways are known to cause severe developmental problems in fish and amphibians and may adversely affect human health. More than 1,000 waterways are considered “impaired” due to pesticide pollution. In a nationwide survey by the U.S. Geological Survey, pesticides were found in every single waterway they tested.
Belted Kingfisher; Wikipedia.org
Senators need to hear from advocates like you now to ensure that harmful chemicals are not allowed to be dumped into waterways.
We have made it easy for you to take action now - simply click on the link below, enter your zip code, and then send the automatically generated email to your Senators asking them to express their support for these programs in their annual appropriations request.
Please consider taking a little extra time to add some thoughts of your own to the text we have provided. This greatly increases the chances of your comments being read by your Senators.
Thank you for your help in ensuring the next generation of Americans will have a chance to appreciate the native birds we enjoy today.
The House of Representatives has voted to gut funding for key bird conservation programs including the elimination of the Neotropical Migraotry Bird Conservation Act. If passed by the Senate, these destructive cuts will harm birds and wildlife as well as undo a decade of successful conservation efforts for migratory birds.
Programs targeted:
•The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds throughout the Americas has been zeroed out in the House bill. The Senate is proposing to restore the program, but at $3.8 million, a lower funding level than last year.
•Joint Ventures, which coordinate, plan, and implement projects that benefits birds, and have protected more than 13 million acres of important bird habitat so far.
•State Wildlife Grants, the nation’s core program for preventing birds and wildlife from becoming endangered in addition to supporting strategic conservation investments in every state and territory.
•The North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which provides funding for conservation projects that benefit wetland birds.
Magnificent Hummingbird by Ralph Wright
Senators need to hear from bird advocates like you today to ensure that these critical bird conservation programs continue to be funded.
We have made it easy for you to take action now - simply click on the link below, enter your zip code, and then send the automatically generated email to your Senators asking them to express their support for these programs in their annual appropriations request.
Please consider taking a little extra time to add some thoughts of your own to the text we have provided. This greatly increases the chances of your comments being read by your Senators.
Thank you for your help in ensuring the next generation of Americans will have a chance to appreciate the native birds we enjoy today.
As many as one billion birds, both residents and migrants, die annually in the United States after colliding with buildings. You can help prevent these unnecessary deaths.
A new bill, the Federal Bird-Safe Buildings Act of 2011 (H.R. 1643), calls for each public building newly constructed, acquired, or altered by the federal government to incorporate, to the maximum extent possible, bird-safe building materials and design features. The legislation would require the government to take similar actions on existing buildings where practicable. This has already been demonstrated to be attainable, as some newer government buildings are already bird-friendly. This bill will help prevent the deaths of millions of birds that collide with windows at thousands of federal buildings across the country.
Take action now by entering your zip code below and then sending the automatically generated email to your Representative asking them to support this bill. Please take some time to add your own personal thoughts and feelings on this important issue to the text we have provided. Consider also following up with a phone call to your representative to reinforce the message. A little extra time will ensure that your Representative will pay closer attention to the issue.
Thank You!
Dr. Christine Sheppard
American Bird Conservancy Collisions Program Director
Help us save America’s native songbirds, bats, and bees!
Tell your Senator to co-sponsor federal legislation that will provide crucial resources to monitor wildlife disease outbreaks and coordinate an effective response.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) has introduced the Wildlife Disease Emergency Act, which focuses much-needed resources and attention on diseases such as white nose syndrome, responsible for killing thousands of bats.
Lautenberg’s bill would provide the Secretary of the Interior with the authority to declare wildlife disease emergencies, establish a dedicated Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund to understand and address disease emergencies, and provide for a coordinated response across state and federal agencies.
Taking action will only take a moment of your time. Begin by entering your zip code in the box below to generate the letter. Then fill in the rest of your contact information in the boxes provided. Please consider adding your personal thoughts to the letter as this will greatly increase the impact with your Senator. Please also consider making a follow-up phone call to your Senator to re-inforce this message.
Tell your elected officials that you want to see wind power developed in a way that is good for birds.
Some of America's most iconic birds are at risk from poorly-planned wind farms. You can change this.
Wind power can be an important energy source, but it needs to be done right. Wind farms kill birds including Golden Eagles, songbirds, and endangered species such as the Whooping Crane through collisions, and also harm the habitat of other birds such as sage-grouse.
By 2030, there will be more than 100,000 wind turbines in the U.S., and these are expected to kill at least one million birds each year—probably significantly more.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Wind power can be bird-smart if developed appropriately, but industry will not do this unless mandated.
You can send a message to your elected officials asking them to require mandatory, bird-smart standards for the wind industry. Just use the form below. It's easy!
Golden Eagle, BLM
And don't forget to personalize the letter with your own thoughts and comments. It will greatly increase our impact if each letter is different.
Some of America's most iconic bird species are at risk from the proliferation of wind power, including the Golden Eagle, endangered Whooping Crane, and Greater Sage-Grouse.
There are ways to make wind power bird-smart. Siting of wind farms away from sensitive bird areas, use of technology and best practices to minimize bird deaths from spinning turbine blades, and mitigation measures to reduce unavoidable bird collisions can protect birds and their habitat, and make wind power truly green.
The wind industry says that it will do the right thing, but we know from other industries such as oil and coal that voluntary measures won't work.
We need mandatory standards for wind power to protect birds and their habitats. You can help us by signing the following petition:
America’s foremost funding program for protecting our migratory birds is up for reauthorization. You can help ensure it passes.
A major source of bird conservation funding has expired, and without re-authorization, the well-being of our beautiful migrant songbirds could fall victim to federal spending cuts.
Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) has introduced legislation to reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of our migrant birds that is available throughout the Americas.
The program is currently expired, meaning that Congress can cease all funding. This bill (S.538) would extend the program until 2016. NMBCA has a proven track-record of success, having supported 333 projects in 48 U.S. states/territories and 36 other countries since its inception in 2002. Advances in conservation for many declining species, such as the Cerulean Warbler, owe much to the NMBCA.
Take action now!
Tell your Senators how important the NMBCA is, and encourage them to cosponsor the Cardin Bill.
Simply enter your zip code below to find which Senators in your state have already co-sponsored the legislation and which have yet to do so. We have drafted letters for you, but your personal comments will increase the impact of your email, so please consider making your own edits to the letter body and subject lines. Then just enter your address and send the email.
Thank you for your support in ensuring that the NMBCA re-authorization is passed.
In December 2011, American Bird Conservancy .jpg)
