Bald Eagles Nest “Fowling” Up Plans
To Relocate Food Distribution Center

The American Bald Eagle, long on the endangered species list of the US Government, may have thrown a monkey wrench into the "full speed ahead" orders of Gov. Ed Rendell and State Sen. Vincent Fumo to relocate the Food Distribution Center into the old Naval Base.

The Philadelphia Public Record has exclusively learned a pair of bald eagles has taken up nesting in the Naval Base smack dab in the center of where the proposed Food Distribution Center is to be relocated.

This will force the "full speed ahead" orders to throttle back to idle, while the State begins a petitioning process to either remove the nest or struggle to show it will not be disturbed if the FDC is constructed.

Carol Copeyon, endangered species biologist of the Pennsylvania Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Section, has acknowledged a pair of eagles is nesting at the site.

This was confirmed by photos taken by this paper's staff. They report the nest is huge, nestled between giant branches in a tree about 70 feet off the ground. An eagle was nesting, alertly moving its head in different directions.

According to Copeyon, who is stationed at Penn State College, eagles mate for life and reuse the same nest each mating season. She said, "It is a violation of the Federal Endangered Species Act to do anything that would cause a nest to fail."

There is a lengthy permitting process whereby such a strategically located nest could possibly be removed from the list.

Copeyon said Joseph Resta, Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Public Works, who is point person for the reloca-tion project, had contacted her to begin the permitting process.

She said normally these permits "can take up to two years, depending on the speed by which the applicant completes all the necessary steps required in the process."

Copeyon added, "In the 15 years in which I have held this post, we have not processed any such requests. Joseph Resta's is the first.

"The state realizes there are permitting provisions under this act. Resta needs to prove the State can go ahead with building a new Food Distribution Center without the result of the loss of the eagles nest."

Resta would be filing an "Incidental Take Permit. Only a handful have been filed in the Northeast Region of the country. He will have the cooperation of Copeyon's office.

She concluded, "This is an applicant-driven process. How long it goes will depend on how fast the State can put their case together. What they need first is a habitat conservation plan, which will demonstrate how they will avoid impacting on the nest. No one has tried to move a nest before."

Resta, who had hoped to begin moving on the project in June, said if "schedules were adhered to, the FDC could be ready in two and half years from the moment construction started."

As of now, that seems improbable. No activity can occur within 300 feet of a bald eagle's nest.

Resta can only hope an expected change in regulations in June could remove the bald eagle from the endangered species list, though it would still be on a "threatened" list, with its own set of regulations.

The eagles nest may be a good sign for fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. But it definitely is seen as "an act of Providence" by State Rep. Bill Keller, who has been leading the charge to get the state to change its plans for the FDC. It definitely is good news for the Port.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced last week it had confirmed the first known bald eagle nest in Philadelphia County in more than 200 years. Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Jerry Czech, who serves Philadelphia County, reported the bald eagle nest has been located in the City of Brotherly Love, and that Game Commission personnel and volunteers have been monitoring the nest and documenting activity.

"With the American bald eagle on our side, how can we lose?" stated Keller. "It's obvious the Port of Philadelphia has found itself on the brink of an historic expansion. To insist on keeping the FDC location inviolate is an obvious folly. It's based on egos and nothing else."

Port proponents charge the proposed location of the Food Distribution Center places it between the new Southport and a unique railhead serviced by three of the country's major rail lines.

Jim Paylor, VP of the International Longshoremen's Association for Wilmington/Philadelphia, together with Boise Butler, president of ILA Local 1291 out of Philadelphia, have joined forces with Keller as have a host of port-related businesses, shippers and terminal operators.

All have cited trends and statistics pointing to the fact that the FDC location will prevent the Port of Philadelphia from growing in the immediate future to meet the demands now being made of its facilities.

Paylor said, "We must grow or die. If we don't grow, do not let shipping lines know we will be in a position in the near future to handle their demands for service, then they will take that business elsewhere, along with the present business we now get."

Keller added, "The longer it takes the State to move on building the FDC, the more it will cost. And we are talking about millions of dollars. We have alternative sites available. They can move the Center to any one of them, at no loss of time, and probably at less expense."

Debbie Beer, Conservation Chairperson for the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club www.dvoc.com, said, "We in the birding community are thrilled about the discovery of this nest, as it signals significant improvement in the water quality and general environment of the city.

"While the future looks bright for bald eagles, they remain a species of significant concern. As you probably know, they are listed as a federal and state Threatened Species. It is very important that all reproductive efforts of the birds -- nesting, hatching, raising young -- not be disturbed in any way."

She urges the curious not to try to track down the nest. "Even with the best intentions, casual onlookers are in danger of disturbing the birds if they approach closer than one-quarter mile from the nest. If the bird leaves the nest in alarm -- even for just a few minutes -- that could cause the eggs to cool off and die."

The Port of Philadelphia could easily expand along the River at Southport, its projected new expansion site designed to permit the Port to meet future growth demands. It can also utilize the existing railhead serviced by three major railroads without disturbing the nestling area. The Food Distribution Center relocation effort will necessitate clearing much of the land in the immediate vicinity of the nest, if not taking away the huge tree in which the nest is located.

Port proponents will have allies from environmentalists like Bear who are devoted to preserving nest sites for this endangered American symbol.

The American bald eagle nest has definitely thrown a hefty block in the path of Gov. Ed Rendell and State Sen. Vincent Fumo's commitment to relocate, at a cost of $150 million, the FDC to its Navy Yard site.

It's been reported that Sysco, the food distribution giant, which had eyed one of the best alternative sites, is changing its mind. If that is the case, this frees up the expansive former Pasha site at Delaware & Snyder for the new FDC site, without a loss of time and probably with a decrease in the overall cost.

Getting To Know Your Bald Eagle

This bird is not bald. Its life span is 47 years in captivity, 25-30 in the wild. It has been the national bird of this country since 1782, symbolizing freedom, power and majesty.

An eagle's eyesight is four to six times better than humans. Its great eyesight helps it see for one to one and a half miles away. They fly some 20 to 40 miles per hour in normal flight and over 100 miles per hour while diving.

Bald eagles normally lay two to three eggs once a year. The eggs hatch after 35 days and the young eagles fly within three months.

Fish compose 60-90% of the bald eagle diet. Dead or crippled wildlife often are selected on the wintering ground, which is why this area was chosen by those nesting eagles.

Bald eagles help man by catching rodents and rabbits that destroy grain fields. Sometimes they will eat snakes and smaller birds. Usually they live near the sea. They only live in trees 75 feet or higher.

Bald eagles add to their nest over and over. Sometimes it can take a pair of eagles as long as six weeks to build their nest for the first time. The eyrie is the large nest made of sticks and lined with twigs and green grass. The heaviest nest ever found is one ton (that's 2000 pounds!)

Bald eagles can only lift about half their weight in flight. They can fly at speeds of about 65 miles per hour in level flight, and up to 150 or 200 miles per hour in a dive. They fly to altitudes of 10,000 feet or more, and can soar aloft for hours using natural wind currents.