Kurt
I sent these comments in today.
I do not want to see any of these harmful changes to the Endangered Species
Act. For 35 years the Endangered Species Act has protected imperiled
species from the effects of potentially harmful federal projects, state and
local projects. The strength of the Endangered Species Act has been the
checks and balances created by
interagency consultation between federal agencies that build roads, issue
logging permits, and lease oil and gas rights among other projects, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries Services, whose
Interagency consultation ensures that federal projects that may impact
America's most imperiled wildlife are independently reviewed by federal
wildlife experts and project modifications are made where necessary. In the
overwhelming majority of consultations federal projects move forward with
little or no significant changes.
The regulations you recently proposed would eliminate interagency
consultation on thousands of federal projects that pose a risk to endangered
and threatened species each year. The changes will almost certainly result
in detrimental impacts on endangered and imperiled species and a higher
propensity to overlook opportunities to avoid such impacts. If you don't
want scientific information this would be a good move, and it typical of the
environment unfriendly Bush Administration. The sooner that idiot is out
of the Whitehouse the safer the planet will be. As one who worked for the
Environmental Protection Agency for 30 years I saw first hand the harm the
Bush Administration caused. We don't need to create more problems for the
species that can't protect themselves.
Notwithstanding the fact that these are the most significant changes to
regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act in more than 20 years,
you have provided the public just 30 days in which to submit comments, not
the traditional 90, and prevented anyone from sending their comments by
email. This is ridiculous in this day and age. It is contrary to
environment friendly communication and should not be included in any
changes regardless of the legislation.
If you don't want to know what the public thinks of these changes, don't let
us participate. If you do extend the comment period to the traditional 90
days. I request you set an additional 60 days to allow the public an
opportunity to meaningfully comment on these proposed regulations.
Please do not finalize these regulatory changes. The law has work as it is.
The Bald Eagle was taken off the ESA when the science showed it no longer
needed protection.
Thank you.
George M. Jett
9505 Bland Street
Waldorf, Maryland 20603
301-843-3524
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kurt R. Schwarz" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2008 11:30 AM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Action: Endangered Species Act Endangered
> Dear MDOspreyer
>
> I need your help to prevent Bush from fatally crippling our nation's most
> successful wildlife law.
>
> Early this week, Dirk Kempthorne, secretary of the Interior, announced
> devastating changes to the Endangered Species Act, signaling the end of
> protection for thousands of imperiled species.
>
> The new regulations would:
>
> - Exempt thousands of federal activities from review under the Endangered
> Species Act;
> - Eliminate checks and balances of independent oversight;
> - Limit which effects can be considered harmful;
> - Prevent consideration of a project's contribution to global warming;
> - Set an inadequate 60-day deadline for wildlife experts to evaluate a
> project in the instances when they are invited to
> participate -- or else the project gets an automatic green light;
> - Enable large-scale projects to go unreviewed by dividing them into
> hundreds of small projects.
>
> Send a message to Kempthorne and members of Congress that these changes
> are unacceptable.
>
> Please visit:
>
> http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25351
>
> Kurt Schwarz
> Conservation Chair
> Howard County Bird Club
> goawaybird at comcast dot net
> |