SEND AN EMAIL TODAY TO HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE OFFICES ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT PASSAGE OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IMPROVEMENT BILLS, H.R. 1662 & H.R 2933!

The House Resources Committee will be marking up Rep. Walden's Science bill (HR 1662) and Rep. Cardoza's Critical Habitat bill (HR 2933) on Wednesday, July 21, 2004.

7/19/2004

Comprehensive reform of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) remains one of the top legislative priorities of the National Grange. The National Grange has supported amendments to the ESA to justify all ESA management decisions through sound science and to balance all decisions to list a species as endangered against the economic health of a community.

Now two critical ESA improvement measures are before the House Resources Committee. Walden's Science bill (HR 1662) is designed to prevent scientifically unjustified ESA decisions and Cardoza's Critical Habitat bill (HR 2933) will broaden the criteria for determining the economic effects of critical habitat designations.

To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior to give greater weight to scientific or commercial data that is empirical or has been field-tested or peer-reviewed, and for other purposes.

• Requires peer-reviewed science as basis for ESA decisions.
• Establishes a mandatory independent scientific review requirement for all ESA listing and de-listing proposals to ensure the use of sound science and provide a mechanism for resolving scientific disputes during the rulemaking process.
• Requires the Secretary of the Interior to solicit and obtain additional data from landowners and others that would assist in the development of recovery plans, including the recovery goals.

To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the process for designating critical habitat to be practicable, economically feasible, and concurrent with the approval of a recovery plan for a species.

• Specifies factors for consideration of the economic impact on landowners under the Act, including lost revenues and costs associated with preparing reports, surveys, and analyses.
• Directs the Secretary, in determining whether an area is critical habit, to seek and, if available, consider information from local governments in the vicinity of the area, including local resource data maps.
• Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from designating an area as critical habitat of a species, and any designation of critical habitat of a species from applying to an area, if the area is subject to: (1) a habitat conservation plan that the Secretary determines provides protection for habitat of the species that is substantially equivalent to the protection that would be provided by such designation; or (2) a State or Federal land conservation program that provides such protection.

  Full text of HR 1662
  Full text of HR 2933

THE HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE'S MARKUP FOR HR 1662 & HR 2933 WILL BE HELD THIS WEDNESDAY, JULY 21. PLEASE LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO THE HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE OFFICES ( Resources.Committee@mail.house.gov ) AND ASKING THEM TO PASS THOSE TWO CRITICAL MEASURES!

Sample Letter:

Dear House Resources Committee: I am writing to urge you to support passage of H.R. 1662 and H.R. 2933 that you will be marking up this Wednesday. Over the past years, farmers and ranchers have suffered economic and social harm generated by the Endangered Species Act that lacks sound science and consideration of economic impacts to the affected areas. H.R. 1662 and H.R. 2933 will ask greater weight to be given to scientific and commercial data in the ESA management decisions. Please pass these two critical measures to give more sensible principle to the ESA. Sincerely, (Signature) (Name)__________________________ (Grange/Grange name and number) __________________________

Recent Grange action alerts on the ESA reform:
Add Your Name to the Grassroots Petition Asking ESA Reform!
U.S. House Resources Committee Will Hold ESA Hearing in Klamath Falls, Oregon on 07/17/04!

Related news article:
Congressional panel seeks changes in Endangered Species Act

If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.

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