[BCNnet] News on ESA

[DRD]

BCN friends, 

 

If you have been following this closely you'll breathe a sigh of relief as I
did when I read it.  Hopefully this paralysis will hold.

 

Donnie  

 

Donnie Dann

Highland Park/Lake County

donniebird at yahoo.com 

 

 

  _____  

From: bcalist-bounces at lists.abcbirds.org
[mailto:bcalist-bounces at lists.abcbirds.org] On Behalf Of Alicia F. Craig
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 2:55 PM
To: List-serve for Bird Conservation Alliance Delegates
Subject: [BCAlist] E&E News story

 


Just thought I would share this with BCA folks. 


 


Senate ESA rewrite unlikely this year, Chafee says


 

Allison A. Freeman and Dan Berman, E&ENews PM reporters

Senators working to broker a bipartisan rewrite of the Endangered Species
Act are unlikely to succeed this year, a key negotiator said today.

Senate Wildlife Subcommittee Chairman Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) said chances
of an ESA bill are "slim." Asked if the effort would likely die this year,
Chafee answered: "To be honest, yes.

"But we'll keep working," he added. "We'll keep the door open a crack."

Chafee is one of four senators -- including Environment and Public Works
Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member Jim Jeffords
(I-Vt.) and Wildlife Subcommittee ranking member Hillary Rodham Clinton
(D-N.Y.) -- who have been working to draft a bipartisan compromise to revamp
ESA.

Negotiations are "stuck" on about five issues, Chafee said, including
funding, critical habitat and the jeopardy standard -- a critical provision
that prohibits actions seen as reducing the species' chances for survival
and recovery.

Chafee pointed to Democrats as the barrier for negotiations moving forward.
"The Democrats are afraid of the House bill," he said.

The House approved an ESA rewrite last fall drafted by Resources Committee
Chairman Richard Pombo (R-Calif.). The bill, which would eliminate the
current act's critical habitat provisions and give payments to landowners
with species on their land, has been criticized by environmentalists and
many Democrats.

Chafee has said Democrats are wary of passing a bill in the Senate for fear
of it being "Pombo-ized."

Clinton today declined to comment on any concerns with an eventual
conference or the House bill, but said negotiations are ongoing.

"We are working very diligently in the committee with Sen. Chafee's
direction to make progress," she said.

Inhofe has said he would consider putting forward his own ESA bill if
Chafee's efforts fail. Chafee said today he would not support an Inhofe
bill, meaning any such measure would die in committee. If Democrats and
Jeffords joined Chafee in voting against, a 9-9 tie would result.

"He needs my vote to get it out of committee, " Chafee said.

 

Alicia Frances Craig
Director, Bird Conservation Alliance
American Bird Conservancy
PO Box 90290
Indianapolis, IN 46240
317-251-2473
http://www.birdconservationalliance.org

 

Washington DC ABC Office
1731 Connecticut Avenue NW 3rd Floor
Washington DC 20009
202-234-7181

 

The Bird Conservation Alliance is a network of organizations whose focus is
the conservation, study, and observation of birds. Through the Alliance,
millions of birdwatchers and concerned citizens are united with conservation
professionals, scientists, and educators for the conservation of wild birds.

 

 

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