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Environmental
Contaminants
Overview |
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Hazardous
waste sites contribute to the contamination of fish
and wildlife resources, USFWS photo |
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The
mission of the New England Field Office Environmental
Contaminants (EC) program is to protect, enhance and
restore the quality of fish, wildlife and their habitats.
EC biologists accomplish this through a variety of activities:
· Identifying and investigating pollution effects
· Developing solutions to correct or prevent
adverse impacts from contaminants
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· Responding to oil
and hazardous material spills or releases
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Providing technical expertise to federal, state, industrial,
institutional and non-governmental agencies
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Restoring fish, wildlife, and their habitats that were
adversely impacted by contaminants |
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Core EC program areas include:
Special Studies
EC biologists design, conduct or partner with other organizations
through Special
Studies to investigate, identify and quantify contaminant
impacts to fish and wildlife resources on and off Service
lands. The investigations result in specific management
actions, which prevent, reduce, or help to eliminate these
impacts.
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Malformed amphibians on Service lands have been the focus
of recent Special Studies activities, USFWS photo |
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Remedial activities under the Superfund
program are the first step in returning adversely impacted
areas into healthier habitats,
USFWS photo |
Technical
Assistance
Technical contaminants expertise is provided to all major
Service programs including the National Wildlife Refuge
System, Endangered Species, Migratory Birds, Fisheries,
Federal Projects, Partners, and Law Enforcement. EC biologists
also provide contaminant-related fish and wildlife technical
support to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
through the Biological
Technical Assistance Team (BTAG) for National Priority
List (Superfund) sites throughout New England.
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Spill
Response
EC biologists respond to Oil
Spills thoughout New England and assist other Service
regions in spills of regional or national significance.
Primary responsibilities during spills include advising
the Federal On-Scene Coordinator about potential impacts
of oil and response actions to threatened and endangered
species, migratory birds, anadromous fish, some marine
mammals and Service lands. Additionally, EC biologists
oversee the collection and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife.
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Migratory birds, like this common loon, are often victims
of coastal and inland oil spills, USFWS photo |
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Trustees cooperate to restore injured
natural resources for the public good, USFWS photo
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Restoration
Restoring habitats and natural resources destroyed or
degraded by oil spills or hazardous waste is a major EC
role. In partnership with other affected state and federal
natural resource trustees, EC biologists plan and implement
Natural Resource Damage
Assessment and Restoration activities.
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Links:
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 Environmental Contaminants
U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service Washington, D.C. Division of Environmental
Quality
Last updated:
October 9, 2008 10:48 AM
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