Hugely successful Endangered Species Act needs protection too

When I moved to Long Island 25 years ago, bald eagles were already a distant memory; it had been more than 60 years since they nested here. The habitat loss and human disturbance that came with the Island’s development decimated the population, but DDT — the mosquito pesticide from the 1940s — dealt the final blow. It found its way into our waterways and eventually moved up the food chain to poison eagles (as well as osprey and other raptor species).

Today, there are now an estimated 30 eagle nests on Long Island. The first pairs to return were identified on the East End in the late 2000s. Eagles are nesting to great fanfare across Long Island, from Centerport to Mastic to Woodmere. There are various factors behind this turnaround, including the 1972 national ban on DDT (an effort started on Long Island). It’s also impossible to ignore the major role the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) has played in protecting eagles and many other at-risk species to make their recovery possible.

By all measures, the ESA has been extraordinarily successful. It has protected more than 99% of listed species from extinction and — together with state conservation measures — has allowed many species to rebound. On Long Island, not only have eagles returned, but osprey are thriving, river otters have returned to our waterways, and whales are commonly seen from our beaches. Not surprisingly, a recent national poll found 85% of Americans agree that the ESA is important for protecting threatened and endangered species.

Unfortunately, the ESA, which was passed in 1972 by a nearly unanimous Congress, is now the target of coordinated federal attacks to weaken it. Ignoring its success and popularity, the Trump administration recently finalized a rule to weaken the law by rescinding the longstanding definition of “harm,” reversing a 50-year precedent recognizing that habitat destruction counts as harm to endangered species. The rule took effect Sept. 14, and while it faces court challenges and bipartisan legislation in Congress to reverse it, it’s part of a series of threats to the ESA that would affect wildlife protections here and across the country. Later last week the administration made another change in how the law is implemented, narrowly interpreting “take” so that the killing of a protected species is only illegal if the act was intentional.

Despite being the home of the “first suburb” and having a legacy of habitat degradation, Long Island has become a conservation leader. From the fight to ban DDT, to efforts to safeguard our sole-source aquifer, to campaigns to protect open space such as the Central Pine Barrens, Long Islanders know that our vibrant coastal ecosystem — and the wildlife it supports — is part of what makes this such a wonderful place to live.

Our community should be proud of the strides that have been made in reversing damage of the past and in building a legacy of conservation. But there’s still work to be done and many species still at risk, especially in the face of a changing climate. The return of eagles is proof that we can right past wrongs and live harmoniously with healthy, robust wildlife populations. The ESA is a foundational part of this effort and undermining it at this critical time would be a grave mistake.

This guest essay reflects the views of Enrico Nardone, executive director of the  Seatuck Environmental Association, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving Long Island wildlife and the environment.