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In the year 2000, Montrose and other chemical companies were found culpable for fouling the marine environment off the Palos Verdes Peninsula through the systematic dumping of DDTs and PCBs over decades. Now, a decision by the Montrose Natural Resource Trustees has reallocated these funds to efforts on the Northern Channel Islands and islands well south in Mexico.
Overview
In the year 2000, Montrose and other chemical companies were found culpable for fouling the marine environment off the Palos Verdes Peninsula through the systematic dumping of DDTs and PCBs over decades. The group has been ordered to pay nearly $140 million to address environmental damage caused by this dumping; it was the largest environmental settlement in world history except for the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
The marine environment around Catalina Island and the San Pedro Basin was particularly hard-hit. These chemicals in the offshore sediments were determined to be the cause of the total disappearance of bald eagles and peregrine falcons from Catalina Island by the early 1960s. They were also the cause of failed nesting of numerous sea birds, and of the contamination of a number of popular eating fish.
Today, 23 bald eagles call the Island home thanks to a comprehensive restoration effort by the Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS), which works directly with eagle eggs to ensure reproduction. For its part, the Catalina Island Conservancy restores and protects in perpetuity the habitat the eagles call home.
Funding for Catalina Discontinued
While the Conservancy's restoration and protection efforts are privately funded, the intensive IWS efforts have, in recent years, been funded by monies from the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program. Now, a decision by the Montrose Natural Resource Trustees has reallocated those funds to efforts on the Northern Channel Islands and islands well south in Mexico. The Catalina Island Conservancy respectfully disagrees with this decision which discontinues funding of eagle restoration efforts on Catalina Island, which could result in eagles once again disappearing from the Island.
Your Help Needed
We need your help to protect the Catalina American bald eagles for future  generations to enjoy. Please following links from “Make Your Voice Heard” here or above and write your personal comments to the Trustees on their decision.
Hardcopy letters and email supporting bald eagle restoration on Catalina Island are greatly appreciated. They will be collected throughout 2005 and forwarded to the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program Trustees as well as to elected officials and the media. Following are some bulleted points that could be included in your letter, restated in your own words, along with your own personal concerns.
Your Help Could Save Catalina's American Bald Eagles!
Thank you kindly for your participation. Your letter of support could make the difference between ensuring a long-term presence of bald eagles on Catalina, and their disappearance from the Island once again.
- Public Access to Eagles Should Be a Priority! - With more than a million visitors
 each year, and as the only Channel Island with significant visitation, Catalina Island is the one place in Southern California that a significant number of people can visit to enjoy bald eagles in a natural setting. Since the Montrose Settlement was meant to restore this natural resource to the public, Catalina should be a priority where funding restoration efforts is concerned. Guaranteeing that bald eagles remain on Catalina Island for the public to enjoy is important weather or not the eagles can reproduce unassisted.
- Too Soon to Abandon Efforts - According to the most current data, DDT levels are decreasing in the eggs of at least one pair of nesting eagles. This suggests that Catalina's bald eagles may soon be able to reproduce on their own. Additionally, there is no scientific proof that bald eagles may be able to reproduce any more successfully on the Northern Channel Islands where monies are being shifted; restoration efforts should continue is simply too soon to abandon restoration efforts on Catalina.
- Eagles Now Present May Leave - It cannot be assumed that Catalina's current population of eagles would stay on the Island if they couldn't reproduce over the next few years; and, in fact, the reallocation of funds could mean the disappearance once again of bald eagles from Catalina. This could impact all of the Channel Islands.
- Settlement Monies Are Most Appropriately Used On and Near Catalina - The Trustees are proposing that as an alternative to funding the important bald eagle or peregrine falcon restoration work on Catalina, or fisheries restoration around Catalina, the monies be reallocated to fund bald eagle and marine restoration on the Northern Channel Islands and for the eradication of cats and rats, some of which would be done in Mexico. These locations are far from Catalina and the San Pedro Basin, the site of the greatest impacts from DDT dumping. In order to meet stated goals of the Montrose Settlement, these funds should be applied in the areas of greatest impact, making Catalina Island and its surrounding waters the most appropriate site for use of Montrose Settlement funds.
- Catalina's Endangered Fox is at Risk - Abandoning bald eagle restoration on Catalina may put the Catalina Island fox population at risk. While much is unknown, it is possible that the presence of bald eagles on Catalina deters the formation of a golden eagle population. Golden eagles have decimated Island fox populations in the Northern Channel Islands. Discontinuing bald eagle restoration efforts on Catalina is simply too risky to the continued recovery of the Catalina Island fox, which is federally listed as an endangered species and is found on Catalina and nowhere else in the world.
- Support Creating an Alternative That Funds Restoration Work on Catalina and the Northern Channel Islands Simultaneously - In their own plan, the Committee identified an alternative that would use part of the settlement funds to support eagle restoration on Catalina. Please ask that they amend their decision and tcontinues to provide funds for bald eagle restoration work on Catalina, ensuring that these magnificent birds will fly free for millions of Catalina visitors to enjoy today and throughout future generations.
- Ask For An Amendment That Includes Ongoing Bald Eagle Restoration on Catalina Island Now - The Trustees have ended funding after 2005. Ask that in the wake of more than 500 letters and signatures that support continued funding for Catalina received through June and less than 40 in firm support of their plan, they reconsider their decision and abide by what they learned during the public comment period they convened.
Send a Hardcopy Letter (preferable) or Email
“Save Catalina’s Eagles”
Catalina Island Conservancy
330 Golden Shore, Suite 170
Long Beach, CA 90802
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