Legislation to update and improve the Endangered Species Act (ESA) could be considered by the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee as early as mid-March. The House passed a comprehensive ESA reform bill (H.R. 3824) last September and we are waiting for the Senate’s action.
The Endangered Species Act has been a trouble to rural America for more than 30 years. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, only 10 (or less than 1%) of the roughly 1300 species listed have actually been recovered in the Act's 32-year history. However, the Act has violated the rights of individuals, particularly property rights and caused economic and social damage especially to farmers and ranchers.
The National Grange has long championed updating the ESA to make all ESA management decisions rely on sound science, give incentives to conservation participants, provide adequate compensation to landowners and to balance all decisions to list a species as endangered along the economic health of a community.
Action Needed:
In order to help improve the ESA, please do the following:
- Call and write to your Senators – in Washington D.C. and in the State – and ask them to support timely action to update and improve the ESA.
- Write a letter to Members of the EPW Committee and urge them to work together to develop a comprehensive bill that updates and improves the Act.
- Ask to meet with your Senators while they are at home during the February recess (February 20-27). Ask them to support efforts to update and improve the ESA.
- Attend a town meeting with your Senators and talk to them about the ESA. Ask your Senators to support timely action on improvements to the ESA in 2006.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper calling on your Senators to support timely action to update and improve the ESA in 2006.
Click here to find your Senators contact info
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Click here to find the Senate EPW Committee Members contact info
http://epw.senate.gov/members/members.htm
Sample Letter:
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Dear Sen. __________:
I am writing to urge your support of timely Senate action to update and improve the Endangered Species Act in 2006. Since it was enacted in 1973, more than 1,300 species in the United States have been listed as threatened or endangered, and less than one percent have recovered sufficiently to be taken off the list.
We have learned many lessons since the ESA was enacted. We need to update and improve the ESA to provide new tools and find better, faster ways to make improvements on the ground. Further, we need to provide incentives for voluntary conservation, give adequate compensation for landowners, increase the role of State and local governments, ensure public participation in an open and sound decision making process, and end the cycle of litigation.
The time is now for Congress to make the ESA the successful law for species recovery that was intended more than 30 years ago. Please act now to make improvements to the Endangered Species Act that can make this success a reality.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
(Name)__________________________
(Grange name and number) __________________________
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See also:
Contact Your U.S. House Member to Thank Them for Voting for Changes to the ESA
Pombo's ESA Reform Bill on the House Floor This Week Ask Your Congressman to Support it to Respect the Property Rights of Farmers and Ranchers
If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by e-mail: chwang@nationalgrange.org by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109.
Are you a Grange member who is interested in discussing public policy issues with other Grange members? CLICK HERE
Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program. |
