02/28/07 Endangered Species Recovery Act

Idaho Senator Mike Crapo today will introduce a bill called the Endangered Species Recovery Act. CRAPO "It's not a comprehensive Endangered Species Reform Act but it will provide financial incentives and go a long way toward enhancing and incentivizing on private property." Crapo says the legislation will be referred to the Senate Finance Committee where both the Democratic chairman and the top Republican have signed on as co-sponsors. CRAPO "Over 80 percent of endangered species live on private property and it makes sense to reward landowners and encourage them to engage in conservation efforts." The federal government has huge deficits now. If you're giving private property owners incentives how would those landowners get paid? Crapo says through tax credits, up to 400 million dollars worth. CRAPO "It would be worked into the revenue projections at the beginning of each Congress as we to put together our budget and Congress would not be able to spend these dollars because they would not be collected in tax revenue. Having said that I believe there are plenty of areas where our appropriators can adjust." And the Idaho senator knows that the financial strain is the one thing that could kill the ESRA. He says his bill supplements the Endangered Species Act but concedes that amending the ESA in this Congress would be impossible. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott