Endangered Species Act Revisions Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. Washington Farm Bureau CEO John Stuhlmiller says recent revisions to the Endangered Species Act, that are under attack by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, are just common-sense checks and balances …
STUHLMILLER … “That’s what the five-year status is about is to say, okay here’s our list of species and you just pull it up and you say, okay for species X in the last five years, what’s happened? You know, how’s the recovery plan working, what’s the status of the species, etc. And oh, huh, there’s 10-million now and there used to be one and so maybe we can remove it from the act or step it down to threatened, you know, whatever it may be there.”
The question, Stuhlmiller says, is why wouldn’t we? …
STUHLMILLER … “So, this nibbles around the edges, in my opinion, in some really good ways. It helps set the stage for some very positive work for species, truly for species recovery. Because, how can you tell if you’re doing the right thing if you don’t check in once you’ve done something?”
When it comes to the lawsuit, Stuhlmiller says it’s time to calm down …
STUHLMILLER … “Yeah, that’s exactly what I believe needs to happen, is we need to say, what really is going on, instead of just looking for a media, you know, statement for election purposes or whatever it may be, whatever the intentions are. But, there is no risk to species by these adjustments to the act, period!”
Stuhlmiller says the revisions are not an overhaul of the ESA and he’d like to see Congress enacted them into law to keep future administrations from undoing them.
