The Eastern hellbender, North America's largest salamander and Pennsylvania's state amphibian, is one step closer to receiving federal protection.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing listing the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Kassie Fenn, Pennsylvania student leadership and education coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, said their student leadership program's research and advocacy efforts led to the Eastern hellbender becoming Pennsylvania's state amphibian in 2019. She added protecting ecosystems and habitat for the hellbender will also protect habitat for other organisms.

"It's really important for the Eastern hellbender to make it on the endangered species list," Fenn emphasized. "Not only will it draw attention to the hellbender habitat, but it will also draw attention to fresh water habitats in general, and the importance of clean water and the impact it has on ecosystems."

Fenn pointed out the public has until Feb. 11 to submit comments. She noted the Chesapeake Bay Foundation recommends people sign onto its online letter, while high school students can draft their own. Comments can be submitted online.

Fenn highlighted the strong link between the Eastern hellbender and water quality, especially in relation to outdoor recreation.

"A lot of anglers in Pennsylvania love to fish for trout, either through fly-fishing or with their spinning rods," Fenn observed. "Trout really need those clean waterways and healthy waterways to survive and thrive, just like our Eastern hellbender. "

Eastern hellbenders can grow up to 29 inches and have been known to live 30 years. Fenn said evidence shows the Eastern hellbender inhabits certain streams, particularly in western Pennsylvania, although its historical range is much broader, extending into the southeastern United States.

Compared with other states, North Dakota has yet to see a big invasion of aquatic nuisance species. But officials are not letting their guard down, and to protect regional lakes, they ask boaters to pitch in with key cleaning steps.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department says because of its location, North Dakota has largely been shielded from nonnative plants, insects and other organisms infesting its waterways as they have in coastal areas and the Great Lakes region.

Ben Holen, the department's aquatic nuisance species or ANS coordinator, said the southeastern part of the state has seen activity, namely with zebra mussels.

"Zebra mussels, they're manipulators of the ecosystem. They completely cover docks," he explained. "They clog water intakes. They push nutrients to the bottom, which increases vegetation growth out there."

That's bad news for native species, as well as economic activity from water recreation. As North Dakotans prepare their boats for the summer, they're asked to memorize key steps for each outing. Those include cleaning, draining and drying all equipment after every use, with a focus on removing all plants or animals from the watercraft prior to leaving the site. Doing so means these tiny creatures won't find their way to the next lake.

While his department does its mitigation work, Holen said, boat owners are being given tools to aid in their responsibility. Each year, boat-cleaning stations are being set up at access points to various North Dakota lakes.

"We've been looking to provide more and more each year for boaters, so it's never been easier for boaters to get cleaned, drained, dry at the boating access," he continued.

Holen said if boaters are not eager to help out, they could feel an economic pinch later through tax increases and higher water bills if state and local agencies have to clean or replace infrastructure damaged by an infestation.


get more stories like this via email

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill that would require property owners to disclose the presence of lead water service lines during a real estate transaction.

Some of Iowa's residential water lines date back more than a century.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least half of the children in the United States are at risk of lead exposure from water lines.

The Iowa Environmental Council's Director of Climate Initiatives Cody Smith said the problem is especially acute in Iowa, where most of the homes built before 1980 have lead in the lines that bring water to the house, and added it will be extremely expensive to address.

"It's estimated that fixing Iowa's lead service line issue would cost about $900 million statewide," said Smith. "So, this is a pressing health concern for the children in our state."

Iowa is responding to a federal rule passed last year that requires all service lines that contain lead to be replaced by 2035.

House File 876 would require sellers to disclose that their house has lead service lines in a real estate transaction.

Iowa utility companies are notifying people if their house has lead in its service lines and offering assistance to remediate it.

Smith said homeowners can also find out for themselves if there's lead in their pipes.

"You can use, like, a penny to scratch your service line where it comes in to often the foundation of your home," said Smith. "And you'll see if it's copper. It it's copper, you're fine. Or if it's PVC plastic, you're fine. But oftentimes, it's going to be a lead service line."

HF 876 has passed the Iowa House and awaits action in the Senate.




get more stories like this via email

Both water quantity and quality are important in the dry climate of Nevada. Now, a proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency could roll back protections for the state's water resources.

EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said he wants to reduce protections granted under the Clean Water Act in an effort to undo "unfair burdens" on farmers and landowners. The 1972 federal law aims to maintain and restore the nation's waters.

Natasha Majewski, climate and energy consultant for the Nevada Wildlife Federation, said the waters covered by the act have changed over the years, but it is all an interconnected system.

"Lincoln County doesn't have the same amount of resources as Clark County, and yet water is still flowing from that county into tributaries such as the Muddy River," Majewski pointed out. "That goes into the Colorado River. That will end up being drinking water."

In 2023, the Supreme Court narrowed the definition of "waters of the United States." It determined only wetlands physically connected to other federally-recognized waters qualify for protection.

Majewski noted while Nevada has its own water laws, federal regulation is needed to maintain a baseline for all states. This week, listening sessions about the proposal will be held for government agencies and Native American tribes.

The Trump administration has said it wants to reduce "red tape" for business and industry but conservationists fear loosening restrictions will cause more pollution in Nevada's wetlands and ephemeral streams. Majewski argued water should not be a partisan issue.

"It is important that all Nevadans, whatever kind of political side they are on, are able to understand these issues more," Majewski stressed. "Because water, it surpasses the administration that it's currently in."

Majewski added changing water protections could affect the quality of the Colorado River and would cause complications due to the amount of agencies managing the river.

"The Colorado River and its different tributaries that come in, it is such a patchwork of people that manage those water sources," Majewski explained.