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Posted by Mark Faherty on 12:31:21 10/10/05
In Reply to: Re: Bald Eagle at Cutler Wetlands posted by Rock Jetty
The Bald Eagle is still listed as "Threatened" under the ESA, though complete delisting has supposedly been in the works for 10 years or so. If delisted, it would still receive some protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act.
For the ESA to apply, eagles would have to be nesting within 1500 feet of any construction. However, development is now permitted in Forida up to 750 feet from a nest without invoking the ESA. You can even build a single family home right next to a nest if there are already houses in the area.
If having an eagle stop by a piece of land for a bit was considered cause to invoke the Endangered Species Act, I think you would see mass suicides among the US Fish and Wildife personnel in charge of administering the Act. Think of the paperwork...
: Answer to 1st question:
: No, it is a mitigation land.
: Answer to second question:
: No. Let's say the land was going to be developed (which, as I mentioned before, it is not), the mere presence of a Bald Eagle would not suffice. The bird would have to be nesting in the area. I am not sure if the BAEA is still on the endangered species list. If it is not, I believe development would go right ahead...sad truth. I could be wrong, maybe someone else could share some light on this.
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