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Anti Endangered Species Bill Introduced in Senate

Senator Crapo’s Bill Would Hurt Colorado’s Endangered Wildlife

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) today introduced a bill that would severely weaken the protections of the Endangered Species Act and undermine recovery of endangered species in Colorado and across the country.

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) today introduced a bill that would severely weaken the protections of the Endangered Species Act and undermine recovery of endangered species in Colorado and across the country. Some of the bill’s more important features include the creation of new, arbitrary roadblocks to protecting endangered species and habitat, greatly increasing delays and political manipulation in conservation decisions, and cutting federal oversight of projects that threaten endangered species.

"Just like Pombo’s "Extinction Bill," today’s counterpart in the Senate would rip the heart out of the Endangered Species Act," said Jacob Smith, director of the Colorado-based Center for Native Ecosystems. "It removes the safety net on which our many endangered wildlife depend."

The Endangered Species Act is America’s premier conservation law and has enjoyed a near-perfect (in excess of 99%) success rate at preventing extinction. Even though most of the 1,300 endangered species have been protected for less than half the time identified by federal biologists as necessary to recover them, nearly 70% are stable or improving. Dozens of newspapers around the country – including the Denver Post and the Boulder Daily Camera – have editorialized in support of the Endangered Species Act. More than 280 scientists signed a letter urging Congress to maintain a strong Act.

"Without a strong Endangered Species Act, here in Colorado we would have lost the black-footed ferret, the greenback cutthroat trout, the endangered fish of the Colorado River, the Ute-ladies’ tresses orchid, and many other native wildflowers and wildlife," explained Erin Robertson, staff biologist for Center for Native Ecosystems.

The Act also has a critical role in Colorado in the recovery of the lynx, the bald eagle, and the peregrine falcon, and others. Please see the attached briefing providing more detail about some of these Colorado success stories.

"Senator Crapo’s proposal alone would be terrible for endangered species conservation," said Melissa Waage, legislative advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity. "But the bill introduced today is part of an even bigger plan to gut the Endangered Species Act by teaming up with Rep. Pombo to adopt the worst provisions of Pombo's House bill behind closed doors."

Senator Crapo told E&E TV on October 6: “I think the House [Pombo] bill is a very good bill and although we may not be able to get the necessary 60 votes for every part of the House bill, and I don't know that yet, that doesn't, that wouldn't change my support for the whole bill as is. I mean it's a good bill [the Pombo bill], but my objective here is to make sure that we get a bill that has as much of those reforms that the House [Pombo bill] has and maybe even some more, that we can get consensus on, through the Senate.” Crapo also has an environmental voting score of 0 according to the League of Conservation Voters.

"Of course we can improve our ability to recover endangered species in Colorado," said Mark Pearson, Executive Director of the Durango-based San Juan Citizens Alliance. "But the Crapo and Pombo bills are both Trojan Horses that will do far more harm than good."

"Enhancing economic incentives for landowners is one of the few things that everyone agrees on," said Sandy Shea, Public Lands Director for High County Citizens’ Alliance in Crested Butte. "We should focus on real solutions that enjoy broad political support, not bills that pretend to help while actually gutting conservation."

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