SELC lawsuit protects iconic bird sanctuary from toxic experiment

It’s a great day for all of us and the geese, swans, ducks, and hundreds of other birds that gather at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge’s iconic bird sanctuary.  

I’m happy to share that our lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prompted the agency to freeze its plans to test a chemical that is toxic to birds at a bird sanctuary in North Carolina this summer. 

Lake Mattamuskeet, the planned laboratory for the algaecide experiment, is the 40,000-acre centerpiece of the wildlife refuge that serves as a critical stopover for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds every year and hosts numerous species year-round. The significance of this guaranteed protection is huge. 

So far, our legal action has only stopped the application of this algaecide at Lake Mattamuskeet for the year. The federal agency still intends to conduct its toxic experiment at the sanctuary starting next April unless we get a favorable opinion from the court.  

For now, we’re all relieved these beloved birds will not be exposed to this toxic chemical this year while the court reviews the legal problems with the rushed and inadequate approval of this dangerous experiment. 

A safer, more sustainable plan is already underway to improve water quality and reduce algal blooms in the lake. We’ll be back in touch when there’s an update to share.