ESA Amendment Act Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Amendments to the Endangered Species Act have been introduced after years of misuse and weaponization have limited landowner’s rights and transparency in the recovery and de-listing of species.
Co-Sponsor, Sunnyside Republican Dan Newhouse says one of the big problems is those who confuse the difference between preservation and conservation …
NEWHOUSE … “A lot of people want to preserve things, as they are today, never touch them. Just put a fence up around a lot of critical areas and critical habitat. Conservation is a way for us to protect those things, but also utilize the natural resources that are there to our benefit.”
A farmer himself, Newhouse says support from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Public Lands Council means a lot …
NEWHOUSE … “I have always felt that farmers are the original conservationists. We understand how important it is to care for the environment from which we depend on our living. And so, we get that. We want to help species, whether they’re plant-life, animal-life, whatever it is.”
And this, Newhouse says could help …
NEWHOUSE … “I think these reforms that we have through this legislation will allow us to do that, but also at the same time allow us to move forward in utilizing the natural resources that we have too. So, I think we can accomplish both.”
Newhouse says only in the federal government would a 3% success rate be considered acceptable, proving the ESA needs reform.
