Here is a follow-up to the news release I forwarded recently about the
Endangered Species Act.
Jane Clark
Endangered Species Coalition Update
Thursday, March 28, 2007
Bush Administration's Insidious Attack on Endangered Species Act
The Bush administration is picking up where Rep. Richard Pombo left off with
a sweeping effort to weaken the Endangered Species Act. While administration
officials are paying lip service to the overwhelming public opinion in favor
of strong endangered species protection, behind closed doors, this
administration is conducting a quiet and insidious attack on endangered
species protections.
"I will vigorously oppose any weakening of the Endangered Species Act, which
has saved the American bald eagle and which is now playing a role in saving
the polar bear," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chair of the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee
"That type of dismantling of the [Endangered Species Act], that was
attempted in the past and sounds like is being attempted in a backdoor
fashion by this administration, needs to stop." Representative Nick Rahall
(D-WV), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congressional
Quarterly, March 28, 2007 A leaked 117 page memo outlines the Interior
Department's proposed new regulations that would undermine Endangered
Species Act protections. The draft regulations would:
Severely limit the listing of new endangered species
Restrict habitat protections against disturbance, pesticides, exotic
species, and disease
Allow destruction of all restored habitat within critical habitat areas
Allow projects to proceed that have been determined to threaten species with
extinction
Remove recovery as a protection standard
Allow states to veto endangered species introductions
Allow states to take over virtually all aspects of the Endangered Species
Act without the necessary funding or experience
These draft regulations represent a total rejection of the values held by
the vast majority Americans: that we have a responsibility to protect
endangered species and the special places they call home. Since
anti-environmental officials failed to make these changes through the
legislative process, the Bush Administration is attempting to do so through
administrative maneuverings.
Department of Interior Solicitor's Opinion :
Limiting which species can be protected
On March 16th, the Department of Interior's Solicitor-the Department's lead
attorney- released a legal opinion that could greatly limit which species
could be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species
Act. By reinterpreting what constitutes a "significant portion of [a
species'] range", the policy attempts to create a loophole so that the
administration doesn't have to list species as endangered if they are not at
risk in certain areas. Using this standard, the bald eagle, grizzly bear
and gray wolf would never have been protected and the peregrine falcon,
black-footed ferret and California condor would never have been reintroduced
into new states.
What may seem like simple wordsmithing could have a significant impact on
protections for our nation's endangered species. A version of former
Representative Richard Pombo's "Extinction Bill" included a very similar
provision which would have required that a species be imperiled "throughout
all of its current range" before being listed. As the Bush Administration
has done with similar policies that may be viewed unfavorably by the public,
the policy was announced late on a Friday afternoon without a press release,
announcement, or the opportunity for public comment. Using this "dark of
night" tactic, the administration is attempting to change policy without
citizen and scientific input or Congressional oversight. More information
can be found in the ESC's factsheet on the Department of Interior's
Solicitors Opinion.
Action: Speak in support of strong endangered species protection
Please join the millions of American's who care about endangered species by
helping to demonstrate the broad public support for Endangered Species Act
protections.Please consider submitting a letter to the editor of your local
paper to raise awareness about this issue.
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne reaffirmed the Department's intent to
overhaul ESA during a recent Congressional hearing. It's not surprising
that the Bush Administration is trying again to weaken endangered species
protections. However, it is surprising that they are trying to claim that
the American public supports weakening environmental protections. Despite
strong support for endangered species protections as evidenced by tens of
thousands of comments in the Administration's Cooperative Conservation
Listening Sessions, Kempthorne has stated that he is acting on behalf of the
majority of people who want changes to the Endangered Species Act.
The Endangered Species Coalition is a non-partisan coalition working with
decisionmakers from all parties. With over 360 member groups located all
across the country, including conservation organizations, scientific
associations, religious organizations, hunting and fishing associations,
hiking clubs, humane societies, student groups and concerned citizens, we
are as diverse as the species we are working to protect.
Endangered Species Coalition
P.O. Box 65195
Washington, D.C. 20035
(202) 955-5758
www.stopextinction.org
ŠESC 2007
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