Bald and Golden Eagles Need Your Help
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act restricts harmful activities that could endanger America's eagles. Right now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is considering important changes to how they protect eagles under this law, and we have an opportunity to speak out for a strong eagle conservation program.
Last winter, the FWS made a controversial decision to allow the wind industry to receive 30-year permits to kill eagles, which Audubon strongly and vocally opposed. Although wind power is an important part of the solution to global warming, the length of these permits is far too long given the lack of conservation planning in place to ensure that eagles are protected.
Please send your public comments to the FWS. Tell them they need to create a robust eagle conservation program and to reverse the decision allowing 30-year permits to kill eagles.
Note: Your letter will become part of the public record on this issue.
To whom it may concern: I am deeply disappointed with the US Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to extend the duration of eagle take permits to 30-years. The decision puts eagles at risk when the Service's mandate under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection is to maintain stable or increasing populations of eagles. The Service lacks clear and comprehensive eagle conservation plans, has no clear conservation goals or management targets, and has only experimental, unproven mitigation measures. With no clear plan, goals, or mitigation measures, the conservation program for eagles is inadequate and 30 year permits are irresponsible in this context. The Service should immediately withdraw the rule extending permit duration to 30 years. I urge the Service to complete comprehensive conservation planning for both eagle species, set clear conservation goals for each management region, and commit resources to rapidly developing protective Approved Conservation Practices. In addition, the Service should retain the current standard that allows compensatory mitigation only for unavoidable take attributed to development activity, rather than relaxing this standard. Impact avoidance should be the first course of action for development projects that could harm America's eagles. This is the best, most reliable step to ensuring that Bald and Golden Eagles are not adversely impacted by new development. Thank you for considering my views on this critically important conservation issue. [Your comment here] Sincerely, [Your name here]
