IFAW: Endangered Species Act Under Attack
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Proposes Rule Change to the Endangered Species Act.
For the past three years, the Bush Administration has waged a war to weaken and turn back the clock on more than 30 years of environmental progress, and is now turning its sights on America’s premier federal statute created to bring species back from the brink of extinction.
Utilizing a behind-the-scenes approach, in an attempt to evade media coverage and public input, the Administration, through the Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing a rule change to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that will legalize the commercial exploitation of endangered species.
On October 17, 2003 the public comment period ended for submitting comments to the FWS regarding a proposed policy change to the Endangered Species Act. The proposed policy change would revise the permitting regulations and allow a resumption of commercial trade in endangered species and their products. IFAW strongly opposed this policy change and submitted comments. Now the Fish and Wildlife Service would like to make this policy proposal a reality by implementing a rule change of the same intent. This will have devastating impact on endangered species worldwide. http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/dfiles/file_16.doc
IFAW is submitting public comments to the record again and would like to encourage you to take action and make your voice heard. http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=474
What is the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?
The ESA was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon. This landmark piece of legislation symbolizes America’s leadership in endangered species protection worldwide over the last three decades. It protects domestic and foreign endangered species by restricting trade in their parts and products through a stringent permitting process.
What Does this Rule Change Mean to the ESA?
The Administration’s proposed rule change will redefine the term “enhance the survival” of the species to allow FWS to issue permits for activities that are illegal under the law as it now stands...including the direct killing of endangered species. History has shown that promoting trade in endangered species leads to overexploitation and increased poaching and illegal trade. Opening the US market for already highly endangered species from foreign countries and further eliminating all of the regulatory safeguards is nothing short of providing a direct incentive to speed up the pace of extinction for these species.
This rule change will redefine one of the few exceptions that allow an individual or company to obtain a permit from the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to import an endangered species. The definition of the exception called “enhancement of survival” will be greatly broadened, thus enabling FWS to issue import permits for any endangered species on Earth in return for a contribution to a conservation program of choice. Disturbingly, there are absolutely no standards for what constitutes a “conservation program”. This deliberate omission ensures there will be no mechanism in place to verify the conservation program is beneficial or even that the money goes towards conservation.
Why the Sudden Proposed Rule Change?
Considering no changes of this nature have ever been made before, you may wonder why this is happening and who will benefit. The answer is powerful special interests. They have gotten the ear of the Administration by lobbying hard in an effort to make more money. These include hunting companies, industries that are currently unable to sell banned animal products (elephant ivory, turtle shell, shahtoosh shawls, etc.), circuses, Las Vegas nightclubs, zoos, and private landowners.
It’s no secret that since taking power in 2000 the Bush Administration has tirelessly waged war against the environment. This is a just another attack on America’s premier wildlife conservation legislation to benefit the special interest groups, one month before the 30th Birthday of the Endangered Species Act.
Who Loses From The Rule Change?
Everyone.
Every plant and animal the law is designed to protect.
Every single American that is not employed by the special interests mentioned above.
Every single foreign national where endangered species live.
Why should endangered plants and animals have a price attached to their head? Why should Americans accept the loss of endangered species as the byproduct of economic profit for a few special interests? Why should other countries lose revenue from Ecotourism and face increased costs for protecting their remaining endangered species from poachers and from American imports? Nearly everyone in this scenario loses and very few gain.
As Congress stated in 1973,
“It Is further declared to be the policy of Congress that all Federal departments and agencies shall seek to conserve endangered species and threatened species and shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.”
The proposed rule change is in direct conflict with the findings, purposes, policy and spirit of the ESA.
International Fund for Animal Welfare: http://www.ifaw.org
Please also see:
Bush Signs Exotic Pets Bill Into Law
http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=79321
THE BIG DISEASE-Y
New Controls Needed on Wildlife Trade to Prevent Disease, Scientists Say
Leading wildlife and conservation experts from 10 nations say that stronger controls on global wildlife trade are needed to stem the spread of deadly diseases from exotic animals to humans.
"Most wild-caught animals found in pet shops and food markets have never been tested for diseases and parasites that can harm humans and other animals," said Mary Pearl, head of the New York-based Wildlife Trust.
The scientists, who made their announcement from Bangalore, India, said that unscrupulous trading also could wipe out wild populations of endangered species such as gorillas and chimpanzees. Claudio Padua of the Brazil-based Institute for Ecological Research was in on all the action in Bangalore this week and reports from the scene as a Grist diarist. Also, check out scintillating facts on the interconnections between wildlife trade and disease in a new Counter
Culture. http://www.gristmagazine.com
Sick and wrong -- facts on the links between wildlife trade and disease
http://www.gristmagazine.com/counter/counter011604.asp?source=daily
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Proposes Rule Change to the Endangered Species Act.
For the past three years, the Bush Administration has waged a war to weaken and turn back the clock on more than 30 years of environmental progress, and is now turning its sights on America’s premier federal statute created to bring species back from the brink of extinction.
Utilizing a behind-the-scenes approach, in an attempt to evade media coverage and public input, the Administration, through the Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing a rule change to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that will legalize the commercial exploitation of endangered species.
On October 17, 2003 the public comment period ended for submitting comments to the FWS regarding a proposed policy change to the Endangered Species Act. The proposed policy change would revise the permitting regulations and allow a resumption of commercial trade in endangered species and their products. IFAW strongly opposed this policy change and submitted comments. Now the Fish and Wildlife Service would like to make this policy proposal a reality by implementing a rule change of the same intent. This will have devastating impact on endangered species worldwide. http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/dfiles/file_16.doc
IFAW is submitting public comments to the record again and would like to encourage you to take action and make your voice heard. http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=474
What is the Endangered Species Act (ESA)?
The ESA was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon. This landmark piece of legislation symbolizes America’s leadership in endangered species protection worldwide over the last three decades. It protects domestic and foreign endangered species by restricting trade in their parts and products through a stringent permitting process.
What Does this Rule Change Mean to the ESA?
The Administration’s proposed rule change will redefine the term “enhance the survival” of the species to allow FWS to issue permits for activities that are illegal under the law as it now stands...including the direct killing of endangered species. History has shown that promoting trade in endangered species leads to overexploitation and increased poaching and illegal trade. Opening the US market for already highly endangered species from foreign countries and further eliminating all of the regulatory safeguards is nothing short of providing a direct incentive to speed up the pace of extinction for these species.
This rule change will redefine one of the few exceptions that allow an individual or company to obtain a permit from the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to import an endangered species. The definition of the exception called “enhancement of survival” will be greatly broadened, thus enabling FWS to issue import permits for any endangered species on Earth in return for a contribution to a conservation program of choice. Disturbingly, there are absolutely no standards for what constitutes a “conservation program”. This deliberate omission ensures there will be no mechanism in place to verify the conservation program is beneficial or even that the money goes towards conservation.
Why the Sudden Proposed Rule Change?
Considering no changes of this nature have ever been made before, you may wonder why this is happening and who will benefit. The answer is powerful special interests. They have gotten the ear of the Administration by lobbying hard in an effort to make more money. These include hunting companies, industries that are currently unable to sell banned animal products (elephant ivory, turtle shell, shahtoosh shawls, etc.), circuses, Las Vegas nightclubs, zoos, and private landowners.
It’s no secret that since taking power in 2000 the Bush Administration has tirelessly waged war against the environment. This is a just another attack on America’s premier wildlife conservation legislation to benefit the special interest groups, one month before the 30th Birthday of the Endangered Species Act.
Who Loses From The Rule Change?
Everyone.
Every plant and animal the law is designed to protect.
Every single American that is not employed by the special interests mentioned above.
Every single foreign national where endangered species live.
Why should endangered plants and animals have a price attached to their head? Why should Americans accept the loss of endangered species as the byproduct of economic profit for a few special interests? Why should other countries lose revenue from Ecotourism and face increased costs for protecting their remaining endangered species from poachers and from American imports? Nearly everyone in this scenario loses and very few gain.
As Congress stated in 1973,
“It Is further declared to be the policy of Congress that all Federal departments and agencies shall seek to conserve endangered species and threatened species and shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.”
The proposed rule change is in direct conflict with the findings, purposes, policy and spirit of the ESA.
International Fund for Animal Welfare: http://www.ifaw.org
Please also see:
Bush Signs Exotic Pets Bill Into Law
http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=79321
THE BIG DISEASE-Y
New Controls Needed on Wildlife Trade to Prevent Disease, Scientists Say
Leading wildlife and conservation experts from 10 nations say that stronger controls on global wildlife trade are needed to stem the spread of deadly diseases from exotic animals to humans.
"Most wild-caught animals found in pet shops and food markets have never been tested for diseases and parasites that can harm humans and other animals," said Mary Pearl, head of the New York-based Wildlife Trust.
The scientists, who made their announcement from Bangalore, India, said that unscrupulous trading also could wipe out wild populations of endangered species such as gorillas and chimpanzees. Claudio Padua of the Brazil-based Institute for Ecological Research was in on all the action in Bangalore this week and reports from the scene as a Grist diarist. Also, check out scintillating facts on the interconnections between wildlife trade and disease in a new Counter
Culture. http://www.gristmagazine.com
Sick and wrong -- facts on the links between wildlife trade and disease
http://www.gristmagazine.com/counter/counter011604.asp?source=daily