[BCNnet] BCNet: Need assistance with info on eagles, cranes and Henslow's

[Birdchris at aol.com]

Hi,
 
I'm developing a position for Sierra Club on proposals by the Illinois  
Endangered Species Board to remove the Bald Eagle, Henslow's Sparrow and  Sandhill 
Crane from the state Threatened Species list. The hearing is in  Springfield 
on Jan. 23. Information, including the Board's reasons for  de-listing these 
species is included at the web site listed in the meeting  announcement below. 
 
Essentially, the Endangered Species Board says these three species are  
stable and thriving and should be removed from the Threatened list. If they are  
removed, they will lose the special protections they get now to increase the  
species' numbers. The Board will not provide the evidence they said was used by  
the Endangered Species Techincal Advisory Committee on birds to review the  
status of these three species. I can't find anything online about the 
background  data. 
 
My emotions and intuition tell me that this is bad move by the Endangered  
Species Board, but I need scientific proof one way or the other. Geoff and I  
have been poring over Bohlen's Birds of Illinois, the latest Illinois Breeding  
Bird Atlas, Ridgeway for historical context, Birds of North America, and  
Meadowlark sightings.
 
If you have other sources, personal expertise or know someone who can help,  
please get in touch ASAP. I would like to have my comments ready by Friday or  
Saturday. 
 
Thanks very much in advance,
Christine Williamson
Chicago/Cook
_birdchris at aol.com_ (mailto:birdchris at aol.com) 
 
 
Interested  Parties  
The Illinois  Endangered Species Protection Board (ESPB) will hold a public 
hearing at noon on  January 23, 2009 at the Illinois Department of Natural 
Resouces (IDNR)  headquarters to take public comment on proposed changes to the 
Illinois List of  Threatened and Endangered Species resulting from the required 
5-year  review.   Information about the public hearing can be viewed at the  
ESPB webpage on the IDNR website at _http://www.dnr.state.il.us/espb/index.htm_ 
(http://www.dnr.state.il.us/espb/index.htm)  .   
Additional  information currently available on the ESPB webpage includes the 
current List of  Treatened and Endangered Species that was approved in 2004 
and a notice for  calendar year 2009 meetings.  For ease of reference, the ESPB 
also plans to  post meeting agendas and minutes to the site sometime in the 
near future.   Please note that the ESPB has been without staff for some time 
and currently is  operating with reduced staffing, so we ask for your patience 
as we address  updates to the webpage and respond to queries for other 
information.   
Thank  you.  
Anne  Mankowski 
Director 
Illinois Endangered Species Protection  Board 
One Natural Resources Way  
Springfield, IL  62702-1271 
phone:   (217) 785-8687 
fax:  (217)  785-2438 
email:  _anne.mankowski at illinois.gov_ (mailto:anne.mankowski at illinois.gov)  

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