Over the past few weeks, Onondaga Lake visitors have reported bald eagle sightings. Recently, 80 birds were seen over Onondaga Lake, and across the state there have been a record-breaking 323 breeding pairs of bald eagles reported this year.

While surprising, these bald eagle sightings are a huge win for environmentalists and a reflection of the conservation efforts at both the county and state level. And, the arguable resurgence proves that passing environmentally-focused legislation is as important and effective as ever.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) efforts to tackle environmental issues in New York state have had a major influence on the health of many species — and bald eagles have long been considered endangered. But as the Onondaga Lake has been cleaned up, bald eagles have returned.

“State efforts to limit exposure to lead contaminants, legislation limiting DDT, as well as the management and restoration of habitats have all really helped the population in (the) region bounce back,” said Shannon Farrell, an assistant professor at SUNY-ESF.

In the 1980s, Honeywell International Inc. was sued by New York state for contaminating the lake.

“One of the main factors that has affected bald eagle population in the last 50 to 100 years include the contamination of food sources coming from the Onondaga Lake,” Farrell said.

Local and state elections are the most influential way that citizens can execute positive environmental change. With a diverse board of environmentalists in office, the future of our planet could be a clean and healthy one.

Let’s learn from this success and continue to use policy to better the environment.

Emily Cerrito is a sophomore television, radio and film major. Her column appears biweekly. You can reach her at ercerrit@syr.edu.

Published on April 3, 2019 at 11:18 pm