Construction Near Bald Eagles' Nest Prompts Lawsuit in Manassas

MANASSAS, VA — For nearly two years, some residents have been alarmed at the rate of sale and development of a private plot of land near the Manassas Airport around Gateway Boulevard where a pair of bald eagles has lived for four years in a tree off the property on city owned land.

Their protests have done little to slow the development, so last month a group of environmentalists filed a lawsuit against U.S. Fish and Wildlife, saying the agency should be doing more to make sure construction doesn't disrupt the eagles' home.

Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007.

A plaintiff in the suite is Amber Taylor, who has a Facebook Page called Manassas Airport Eagles.

Here's what she recently told Washingtonian:

"Before construction started, you could drive by and it didn’t matter what time of day — 6 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon — you could find them by their nest. Now, it’s different. Once the construction crews start making noise in the morning, the eagles leave and you won’t see them again until the last people leave for the day."

Taylor told WJLA television that U.S. Fish and Wildlife should have issued a restrictive permit to the developer, the Pruitt Corporation.

"I'm furious that the organization in charge of protecting these eagles doesn't care," she said. "There is so much more they could and should have done."

Photo: Patch file