[BCNnet] Another Environmental Weakening
Donald R. Dann
donniebird@yahoo.com
Mon, 3 Feb 2003 13:47:30 -0700
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C2CB8A.D34F9A50
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi BCNnet friends -
=20
I thought the following press release from the American Bird Conservancy
would be of interest to everyone. If you find this troubling here is an
email address in which to contact Administrator Whitman:
http://www.epa.gov/adminweb/comments.htm =20
=20
Donald R. Dann
Highland Park/Lake County =20
=20
=20
=20
BUSH ADMINISTRATION ASSAULT ON ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
ACTION WOULD REMOVE CRITICAL REVIEW FOR PESTICIDES
=20
Conservationists have expressed outrage at the Bush Administration's =
planned
assault on one of the nation's most important environmental laws, the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed rule would allow the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exempt itself from the need to
consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine
Fisheries Service (collectively, "the services") regarding the effects =
its
decisions on pesticides have on endangered species. Currently, under =
Section
7 of the ESA, all pesticide decisions made by the EPA are subject to =
review
by the services where endangered species may be impacted. By =
circumventing
this requirement, the EPA will be free to make decisions affecting =
America's
rarest species without input from the very people charged with their
protection.
=20
Members of the newly-formed National Pesticide Coalition will convene an
emergency session on Friday Jan 31, to discuss their opposition to the
proposal. A 45-day comment period has been opened during which time the
coalition will organize a coordinated effort to have the proposed rule
struck down. The coalition comprises 15 nationally-recognized groups, =
all
concerned with the detrimental effects of pesticides on wildlife, the
environment, and public health. The complete list of organizations is
included below.
=20
"What is most disturbing is that these new rules were written after =
months
of discussion with industry representatives but no input at all from the
conservation community," said Dr. Patti Bright, Director of the =
Pesticides
and Birds Campaign of American Bird Conservancy, and a representative of =
the
National Pesticides Coalition. "It is appalling to think that =
essentially
industry is controlling pesticide regulation and endangered species
protection at the EPA. The fox is in charge of the hen house."
=20
"The Bush Administration's proposed changes to the ESA's implementing
regulations would significantly weaken protections for our nation's most
imperiled wildlife, and establish an extremely dangerous precedent," =
said
Mike Senatore, Wildlife Council for Defenders of Wildlife, a Coalition
member. "Particularly alarming are proposed changes that would severely
weaken the vital role of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in ensuring =
that
endangered and threatened species are adequately protected from the =
harmful
impacts of pesticides. These changes, if adopted, would also clearly set =
the
stage for a complete rewriting of federal endangered species regulations =
by
this Administration for the benefit of industry."
=20
Pesticides kill millions of birds annually, as well as many other =
species,
including endangered mammals. American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of
Wildlife, and the Florida Wildlife Federation are currently involved in
litigation with the EPA over the use of the pesticide fenthion, which =
has
killed numerous birds, including an endangered species (Piping Plover), =
in
Florida. Another widely used pesticide coming up for EPA re-registration
review, brodifacoum, (the active ingredient of the rodenticide D-Con) =
has
killed a number of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in California, as =
well
as Golden Eagles. This same pesticide has been responsible for the vast
majority of the more than 48,000 recent rodenticide poisoning cases of
children under six years old reported to poison control centers across =
the
nation. The proposed ruling, published in the Federal Register on =
January
24, would give EPA the ability to register and re-register pesticides =
solely
based on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), =
a
law never designed to take the place of the ESA or specifically protect
endangered species. By taking critical review away from the U.S. Fish =
and
Wildlife Service, the rule would undermine the ESA, and jeopardize our
nation's wildlife heritage.
=20
=
=20
- END -
=20
American Bird Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) organization aimed at =
conserving
wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas.
=20
National Pesticide Coalition Members:
American Bird Conservancy
Defenders of Wildlife
Sierra Club
National Wildlife Federation
Farm Worker Justice Fund
Earth Justice
Natural Resources Defense Council
World Wildlife Fund
Beyond Pesticides
Rachel Carson Council, Inc.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides
Washington Toxics Coalition
Environmental Defense
National Audubon Society
US Public Interest Research Group
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C2CB8A.D34F9A50
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html>
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dus-ascii">
<meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)">
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple>
<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'>Hi BCNnet friends –</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'>I thought the following press release from the American Bird
Conservancy would be of interest to everyone. If you find this =
troubling here
is an email address in which to contact Administrator Whitman: <a
href=3D"http://www.epa.gov/adminweb/comments.htm">http://www.epa.gov/admi=
nweb/comments.htm</a>
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'>Donald R. Dann</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'>Highland Park/Lake County </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>BUSH =
ADMINISTRATION
ASSAULT ON ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>ACTION WOULD =
REMOVE
CRITICAL REVIEW FOR PESTICIDES</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Conservationists have
expressed outrage at the Bush Administration's planned assault on one of =
the
nation's most important environmental laws, the Endangered Species Act =
(ESA).
The proposed rule would allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) =
to exempt
itself from the need to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service =
and
National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, "the =
services")
regarding the effects its decisions on pesticides have on endangered =
species.
Currently, under Section 7 of the ESA, all pesticide decisions made by =
the EPA
are subject to review by the services where endangered species may be =
impacted.
By circumventing this requirement, the EPA will be free to make =
decisions
affecting </span></font>America's rarest species without input from the =
very
people charged with their protection.</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Members of the
newly-formed National Pesticide Coalition will convene an emergency =
session on
Friday Jan 31, to discuss their opposition to the proposal. A 45-day =
comment
period has been opened during which time the coalition will organize a
coordinated effort to have the proposed rule struck down. The coalition
comprises 15 nationally-recognized groups, all concerned with the =
detrimental
effects of pesticides on wildlife, the environment, and public health. =
The complete
list of organizations is included below.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>"What is =
most
disturbing is that these new rules were written after months of =
discussion with
industry representatives but no input at all from the conservation
community," said Dr. Patti Bright, Director of the Pesticides and =
Birds
Campaign of American Bird Conservancy, and a representative of the =
National
Pesticides Coalition. "It is appalling to think that essentially =
industry
is controlling pesticide regulation and endangered species protection at =
the EPA.
The fox is in charge of the hen house."</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>"The Bush
Administration's proposed changes to the ESA's implementing regulations =
would
significantly weaken protections for our nation's most imperiled =
wildlife, and
establish an extremely dangerous precedent," said Mike Senatore, =
Wildlife
Council for Defenders of Wildlife, a Coalition member. =
"Particularly
alarming are proposed changes that would severely weaken the vital role =
of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in ensuring that endangered and =
threatened species
are adequately protected from the harmful impacts of pesticides. These =
changes,
if adopted, would also clearly set the stage for a complete rewriting of
federal endangered species regulations by this Administration for the =
benefit
of industry."</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Pesticides =
kill millions
of birds annually, as well as many other species, including endangered =
mammals.
American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Florida =
Wildlife
Federation are currently involved in litigation with the EPA over the =
use of
the pesticide fenthion, which has killed numerous birds, including an
endangered species (Piping Plover), in </span></font>Florida. Another =
widely
used pesticide coming up for EPA re-registration review, brodifacoum, =
(the
active ingredient of the rodenticide D-Con) has killed a number of =
Endangered
San Joaquin Kit Foxes in California, as well as Golden Eagles. This same
pesticide has been responsible for the vast majority of the more than =
48,000
recent rodenticide poisoning cases of children under six years old =
reported to
poison control centers across the nation. The proposed ruling, published =
in the
Federal Register on January 24, would give EPA the ability to register =
and
re-register pesticides solely based on the Federal Insecticide, =
Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA), a law never designed to take the place of the ESA or =
specifically
protect endangered species. By taking critical review away from the U.S. =
Fish
and Wildlife Service, the rule would undermine the ESA, and jeopardize =
our
nation's wildlife heritage.</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> =
&=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; &nb=
sp; &nbs=
p;  =
; </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>- END =
-</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>American Bird =
Conservancy
is a 501(c)(3) organization aimed at conserving wild birds and their =
habitats
throughout the </span></font>Americas.</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>National =
Pesticide
Coalition Members:</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>American Bird =
Conservancy</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Defenders of =
Wildlife</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Sierra =
Club</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>National =
Wildlife
Federation</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Farm Worker =
Justice Fund</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Earth =
Justice</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Natural =
Resources Defense
Council</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>World Wildlife =
Fund</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Beyond =
Pesticides</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Rachel Carson =
Council,
Inc.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Northwest =
Coalition for
Alternatives to Pesticides</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Washington</span></font>
Toxics Coalition</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>Environmental =
Defense</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>National =
Audubon Society</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'>US Public =
Interest
Research Group</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-autospace:none'><font size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
14.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C2CB8A.D34F9A50--