9/19/05

STOP POMBO’S EXTINCTION ACT!

A California congressman is trying to make species extinction much easier.

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Tracy) introduced H.R. 3824, his rewrite of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Sept. 19.

His so-called Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 poses as a needed reform, but would in fact make the Endangered Species Act unworkable.

The ESA was enacted in 1973. It provides for the protection of wildlife faced with extinction, and mandates attempts to restore diminished populations. It has helped bring back bald eagles, grizzly bears, gray wolves, and many other threatened and endangered species.

Forest advocates have utilized the ESA as one of their most effective tools. To save listed species– such as the old-growth-forest-dependent marbled murrelet– requires saving their forest habitat.

Pombo’s bill would toss out the requirement to help endangered species recover. It would reduce protection for threatened species, and eliminate protection of critical habitat.

The bill takes the power to define "the best science" away from the scientific community and puts it in the hands of the Secretary of Interior, a political appointee.

Federal agencies charged with enforcing the act would be hit hard financially by a "takings" clause that would require the agencies to compensate landowners for obeying the law.

TAKE ACTION

The House Resources Committee, which Pombo chairs, will hold a hearing on the bill at 10 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The bill will be voted on by the committee on Thursday, Sept. 22. It could come up for a floor vote in the House as soon as next week.

Call your representative today at 202-224-3121 and urge him or her to oppose Pombo’s outrageous plan to undo the protections of the Endangered Species Act.

You can find information for your congressional representative at: http://www.house.gov

It is especially important that members of the Resources Committee hear from constituents in their district.

HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE CALIFORNIA MEMBERS

Richard W. Pombo (R-Tracy), Chairman
George Miller (D-Martinez)
Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley)
Ken Calvert (R-Corona)
George P. Radanovich (R-Mariposa)
Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk)
Jim Costa (D-Fresno)

TALKING POINTS

I am calling to ask you to support for the Endangered Species Act and urge you to oppose Representative Pombo's Threatened and Endangered Species extinction bill (H.R. 3824) because it would weaken protections for endangered species and habitat.

Pombo's bill aggressively strips the Endangered Species Act of its strongest protections. Representative Pombo and his bill are out of step with the American public's support of the Endangered Species Act.

For over thirty years, the Endangered Species Act has been a safety net for wildlife, fish and plants on the brink of extinction. It has been successful in preventing the extinction of the American bald eagle, the gray wolf, the Whooping crane, (or other local species) as well as many other species.

The Endangered Species Act stands for fundamental principles that we all believe in and cannot allow to be weakened or destroyed. 86% of Americans support the Endangered Species Act.

Please support the Endangered Species Act as it currently stands and oppose any bill that would weaken protections for endangered species and habitat.

For more information please go to: http://www.stopextinction.org/