While the nation is distracted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and by
the Iraq War an attempt is being made to do a rapid vote on legislation
that will dramatically cripple the Endangered Species Act.  The Black
Footed Ferret is one of the species which fits into the boundries of
this legislation that is being called "an extinction bill" by multiple
environmental and animal foundations because it is designed to allow --
in fact facilitate -- the extinctions of species that are in serious
trouble.  Not only that, but if there are pushes to protect the species
it would require huge buy out prices for developers who buy the land
involved instead of the current fair market price buy outs so it also
would rob tax payers to make the wealthy even wealthier.  This
legislation failed before due to voter screaming.  Since the vote may
occur as early as today to get it sneaked through the House while voters
are not looking it is very important that you contact your representative
now.  It is so recently out of committee and the vote has been planned to
happen so rapidly that the wildlife protection groups don't even have a
bill number for it.  The legislation is a modification to the Endangered
Species Act being pushed (YET AGAIN) by Republican House Member from
California Richard Pombo.
 
* <http://www.saveesa.org/news/pr091905.html>
* <http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=37541>
* <http://www.ashtonbiodiversity.org/pombo.php>
* <http://www.surfbirds.com/sbirdsnews/archives/2005/07/index.html>
* <http://northstar.sierraclubaction.org/showalert.asp?aaid=1536>
* <http://www.stopextinction.org/site/c.epIQKXOBJsG/b.704799/k.CCB4/Home.htm>
* <http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/
?id=411&letter_id=474959656>
 
There is much more.  Just Google on Pombo extinction
 
Capitol Switchboard:  (202) 224-3121
Ask for your Member of Congress's office.
 
You can look up your Representative at:   http://www.house.gov
You can look up your Senators at:   http://www.senate.gov
 
Here is some of what has been in his version in the past and is expected
to be in there again:
 
 * change the definition of conservation, to abandon the nation's
   commitment to recovering species on the brink of extinction
 * redefine the definition of endangered species so that the species
   must be endangered throughout its entire range.  (If this provision
   was law when the ESA was first enacted, it would have been
   impossible to list the bald eagle, the gray wolf and many other
   species who are endangered in the lower 48, but not endangered in
   Alaska or Canada.)
 * weaken protections for species listed as "threatened" under the law
 * weaken habitat protection, by requiring only occupied, and not
   unoccupied, habitat be protected
 * exempt federal agencies from the requirement to consult with the
   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on actions that might impact
   endangered species
 * require the federal government to pay landowners for the cost of
   complying with the law, under an onerous "takings" provision
 * expire the Endangered Species Act in the year 2015
 
[A later P.S.]:
There is now a bill number for the Pombo extinction bill:
Ask your House member to vote No on H.R. 3824
http://www.ucsusa.org/
[Posted in FML issue 5013]