Jessie Thomas-Blate
Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Jessie works with our staff and partners to develop our Most Endangered Rivers Program and annual report.
Background: Jessie joined American Rivers in 2010. Prior to that she worked for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as their Habitat Coordinator. There she played a fundamental role in the establishment of the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership. Jessie also did an internship at the Natural Resources Defense Council where she focused on the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act.
Education: B.S. in Biology from Mary Washington College, and M.S. in Natural Resources from Delaware State University
Favorite River: Rappahannock River
Blog Posts By This Author
Experts Support EPA Finding of Potential Danger with Pebble Mine
November 27, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Water Pollution
A peer review panel of independent experts has analyzed EPA’s Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment and concurred with the finding that the Pebble Mine could cause irreparable harm to the Bristol Bay watershed. This project could jeopardize the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the country.
Read more »A Bad Day for Mountaintop Removal is a Good Day for Rivers
November 16, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers
Mountaintop removal coal mining is one of the most destructive practices as far as its impact on river health. One of the major coal companies in Appalachia has now agreed to stop this harmful practice in exchange for an extension on a requirement to treat selenium during its operations.
Read more »Battles Continue on the St. Croix River
November 14, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
Supporters of the Wild and Scenic St. Croix River in Minnesota are fighting another battle— this time against a gravel mine. A corporation is proposing to operate a gravel mine on the site of a dormant, unreclaimed gravel mine (known as the Zavoral Site). It is located along St. Croix Trail North, a State Scenic Byway.
Read more »A Power Struggle on the Delaware
October 22, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
In 2007, American Rivers highlighted the Upper Delaware River on our list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® because it was threatened by a massive power line through the Wild and Scenic River. Then again in 2010, the Upper Delaware appeared at the top of the list due to the threat of natural gas development in the watershed.
Read more »All Hope is Not Lost for St. Croix
October 16, 2012 | Most Endangered Rivers, Wild and Scenic Rivers
Poor St. Croix River… sigh…
Recent attacks on this river caused it to appear on our 2009 and 2011 lists of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®. In March 2012, President Obama signed a bill that created an exemption to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in order to build a superhighway bridge across the river.
