Push for an atrazine ban — not a pollution plan

 

No. 1284, February 13, 2025

Help Us Urge the EPA to Ban Atrazine  The herbicide atrazine is a lethal threat to frogs: Concentrations in thousands of U.S. rivers, ponds, and streams can get high enough to cause the death of amphibians, including imperiled dusky gopher frogs and Illinois chorus frogs. And in people atrazine exposure is linked to birth defects, elevated cancer risk, and other health problems.    The Center sent a comprehensive analysis to President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency showing how a Biden-era plan would allow extremely harmful levels of atrazine pollution in 99% of the nation’s 11,249 contaminated watersheds. Trump says he wants to make America healthy again, so now’s the moment to reject this outrageously weak plan and ban the poison — as 60 other countries already have.     “President Trump has an early opportunity to make good on his pledge to clean up the nation’s water with a ban on atrazine,” said Center biologist Nathan Donley. “A 99% failure rate is unacceptable in any context but horrific when we’re talking about an extraordinarily toxic pesticide killing wildlife and contaminating the drinking water of millions of Americans.”    Back our fight: Tell the EPA to ban atrazine once and for all.

God Squad to Decide Which Species Disappear  In Trump’s first hours back in office, he signed an executive order declaring an “energy emergency” and illegally convening a special committee that can decide any federally protected species' fate. Nicknamed the God Squad, the Endangered Species Act Committee is made up of cabinet-level officials authorized to let energy projects fly through the approval process — even when those projects may drive species extinct.     “This executive order is a death warrant for polar bears, lesser prairie chickens, whooping cranes and so many more species on the brink of extinction,” said the Center’s Endangered Species Director Noah Greenwald.     Help us fight back with a gift to the Future for the Wild Fund.

Giant Clams Need Your Help  Giant clams live in coastal areas next to coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. They weigh around 500 pounds — as much as an average male grizzly bear — and can grow to more than 4 feet long.     But because they're prized for their beautiful shells, overharvesting and international trade have decimated their populations. Climate change has hurt them too.     The good news: Following a notice of intent to sue by the Center, NOAA Fisheries has proposed protecting 10 giant clam species under the Endangered Species Act. But in the current political landscape, there's no time to waste in finalizing safeguards.     Tell NOAA Fisheries to protect all 10 species pronto.

Good News for Idaho Grizzlies — and Wolves  In a win for grizzly bears, as well as embattled Rocky Mountains wolves, last week a federal judge in Idaho upheld her prior decision to prohibit recreational wolf trapping and snaring in grizzly bear habitat during the bears’ nondenning season. The state of Idaho had asked her to reconsider.     “The judge made the right call again,” the Center’s Collette Adkins told The Coeur D’Alene Press. “Grizzly bears already face so many threats to their survival and recovery. They shouldn’t have to risk getting hurt or killed by indiscriminate and cruel wolf traps.”

Win: Gila Wilderness vs. Feral Cows  In good news for species like Mexican spotted owls and Chiricahua leopard frogs, a federal judge has upheld a U.S. Forest Service plan to remove feral cattle from the majestic Gila Wilderness, where the cows have been destroying habitat for decades.    After the livestock industry sued to block the removals, the Center intervened to support the plan.    “This ruling validates the Forest Service’s efforts to protect this area and its remarkable biodiversity,” said the Center’s Taylor McKinnon. “It’s a victory for America’s first wilderness and the beautiful Gila River.”

Revelator: Lost Species of 2024  Slender-billed curlews, Key Largo tree cactuses, and obliterated whitefish are just a few of the species scientists declared extinct in 2024.     Head to The Revelator to read their stories — many of which haven’t been previously reported — and use their memory to help prevent future extinctions.    And if you don’t already, subscribe to the free weekly e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news.

That’s Wild: Mussels Monitor Polish Water Quality  More than 50 water-treatment plants in Poland have used a novel technique for checking water quality: teams of freshwater mussels equipped with sensors that feed data into computers.     Recruited from nearby lakes and streams, these worker mussels have an exceptional ability to detect a wide variety of contaminants. If the water stays clean, they’re as happy as clams — but if it gets dirty, they simply close their shells. When more than four of them clam up at a time, well, the supply gets shut off too.     After three months the mussels get burnout and stop reacting as precisely — at which point they’re sent into retirement in their home waters.     Watch a short documentary starring mussels at the Gruba Kaśka (“Fat Kathy”) plant.  Have a friend who'd like this email? Forward it.

Follow Us Center for Biological Diversity | Saving Life on Earth     Donate now to support the Center's work.   Photo credits: Illinois chorus frog by Jacob Cackowski/USFWS; lesser prairie chicken by Dan Wundrock/USGS; giant clam courtesy NPS; grizzly cub via Pixabay; Chiricahua leopard frog by Jim Rorabaugh/USFWS; slender-billed curlew illustration courtesy Biodiversity Heritage Library; mussel illustration (inspired by Fat Kathy documentary) courtesy Center for Biological Diversity.   View our privacy policy. Center for Biological Diversity P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 85702 United States 285299-qgbmb-0-0

Don’t let this terminal terminate Rice’s whales

 

No. 1256, August 1, 2024

Speak Up to Protect Gulf Coast Endangered Species The U.S. Maritime Administration could soon greenlight Texas GulfLink, a dangerous deepwater crude oil export terminal that's one of 20 new fossil fuel export projects proposed for the Gulf Coast.     Part of the biggest fossil fuel buildout in the world, Texas GulfLink would export more than 1 million barrels of crude every day, increasing the risk of catastrophic spills and spewing at least 3.8 billion metric tons of toxic pollution in its lifetime. But the United States already produces more oil than any country in history. We don't need more projects that will harm human health and worsen climate disasters like hurricanes and floods.     Texas GulfLink would also threaten endangered animals like Kemp's ridley sea turtles and Rice's whales, of whom 100 are left on Earth, with extinction.     The Gulf Coast’s ecosystem, people, and wildlife can't take more needless destruction, and the planet can't take more climate-killing oil and gas projects.

Win Against Poison for Endangered Plants and Animals  Thanks to unique and steadfast advocacy by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency just released a draft Insecticide Strategy to guide the protection of more than 850 endangered plants and animals from insecticides — an effort by the agency’s pesticides office to start complying with the Endangered Species Act.    The strategy outlines practical measures to ensure that rare invertebrates — and the species that need them for prey and pollination — are protected from toxic insecticides, of which some 24 million pounds are used for agriculture every year in the lower 48 states.    “I urge the EPA to stand strong against the inevitable attacks by Big Agriculture, which has spent decades poisoning wildlife and now attacks all efforts to enact reasonable protections for endangered species,” said the Center’s Lori Ann Burd.    Help the Center defend the country's most endangered species from toxic chemicals with a gift to our Saving Life on Earth Fund.

The Vanishing of California’s Grizzlies  Grizzlies were once common throughout California, but decades of hunting, killing, and persecution drove them out. The last one was seen in 1924. Although this is one of the most significant species losses in the state’s history, grizzlies remain a potent cultural icon.    Lawmakers have declared 2024 the Year of the Grizzly to mark the 100th anniversary of the bears’ disappearance from the Golden State. Isn’t it time to bring them back to California?    Learn about the Center’s work to restore grizzlies and check our new visualization on the loss of these bears on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

International Gains for Giant Clams and Curassows  The world’s largest clams — living near coral reefs in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific — can grow over 4 feet long and weigh 500 pounds. But they’re being exploited as a curiosity and luxury, as well as for their meat — and they're threatened by warming water, too. So biologist Dwayne Meadows, Ph.D., petitioned for their U.S. Endangered Species Act protection. After we followed up with a legal notice, NOAA Fisheries proposed to protect 10 giant clam species.    And in South America, in response to another Center lawsuit, two birds imperiled by habitat destruction and hunting have just been given protection. Southern helmeted curassows in the Bolivian Andes and Sira curassows in Peruvian cloud forests have a distinctive pale blue casque, or bony protrusion, on their heads — and they’ve been waiting three decades for a lifeline.    The Endangered Species Act helps species outside the United States by banning their import and sale, increasing awareness, and providing financial assistance.

Study: PFAS Are in Pesticides Too  A new study coauthored by the Center’s Environmental Health Science Director Nate Donley finds that PFAS “forever chemicals” are increasingly added to U.S. pesticide products — introducing the toxic compounds directly into people’s food and water.    The study shows that PFAS-containing pesticides are used on staple foods like corn, wheat, kale, spinach, apples, and strawberries. PFAS are also in insect-killing sprays, flea treatments, and other stuff we put on ourselves and our pets.    “This is truly frightening news,” said Nate. “Lacing pesticides with forever chemicals is likely burdening the next generation with more chronic diseases and impossible cleanup responsibilities. The EPA needs to get a grasp on this fast-emerging threat right away.”

The Revelator: Royal Cows Inyambo are prized cattle in Rwanda, bred for ceremonial purposes and known for their long white horns. With shepherds crooning love songs and a veterinarian on call 24/7, these cows have the best possible care. But like many rare livestock breeds around the world, they face challenges to their survival — including climate change, habitat erosion, disease, and international conflicts.    Learn more in The Revelator. And if you don’t already, subscribe to the free weekly Revelator e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news.

That's Wild: Komodo Dragons Have Iron Teeth  If you thought massive reptiles with lethal choppers went out with Game of Thrones, think again: A new study shows that the serrated teeth of the planet’s biggest (real-life) lizards are coated with iron.    Like beavers, Komodo dragons have teeth colored orange from the iron in their enamel, which helps keep the teeth strong so that the lizards, who on occasion can weigh up to 350 pounds, can take down large prey like deer and boars.

Follow Us Center for Biological Diversity | Saving Life on Earth     Donate now to support the Center's work.   Photo credits: Kemp's ridley sea turtle courtesy NPS, Rice's whale courtesy NOAA; Karner's blue butterfly by J. and K. Hollingsworth/USFWS; grizzly bear data-visualization graphic by Dipika Kadaba/Center for Biological Diversity; giant clam courtesy NPS, southern helmeted curassow by Peter Stubb/Flickr; PFAS-in-pesticides graphic by Isabel Stein/Center for Biological Diversity; Inyambo cow by Molly McCluskey/Center for Biological Diversity; Komodo dragon by Mark Dupont/Flickr.   View our privacy policy. Center for Biological Diversity P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 85702 United States 285299-qgbmb-0-0