Dean Ferry

Here is what the $MC has on their website about this bill;

Pombo Extinction Bill Moves to House Floor


Please Call or E-mail Your Representative Now!
©© David R. Schrichte


The Issue:
Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA) has introduced a bill (HR 3824) that will greatly rewrite the Endangered Species Act, the most important federal wildlife law that protects manatees and other endangered and threatened species. Representative Pombo has long represented the interests of developers and the oil and mining industries and is Congress' loudest opponent of endangered species protections.

On Thursday, September 22, the House Resources Committee (Rep. Pombo is chair) approved the bill. It now heads to the full U.S. House of Representatives for a vote this week.

"The American public supports the Endangered Species Act and wants it to remain strong.," said Liz Godfrey, Program Director of the Endangered Species Coalition. "It is critically important that members of Congress recognize that Mr. Pombo is attempting to mask his true intentions with soft sounding words like 'update,' 'enhance,' and 'modernize,' however, his true intentions are to dismantle the protections of one of our nation’s strongest conservation laws."

This bill would be a terrible blow to endangered species, including removing all requirements to protect endangered species habitat.

The Pombo Extinction Bill will:

completely repeal protections for endangered species' critical habitat.
allow political appointees -- such as Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton -- instead of scientists to determine what constitutes the best available science.
assure that recovery efforts are not implemented by making recovery plans voluntary
exempt federal actions from having to go through independent review to ensure they do not jeopardize endangered species.
bankrupt the endangered species program by forcing the Fish and Wildlife Service to pay developers not to violate the law.
What You Can Do:
It is critical that you take a couple of minutes to call your representative's office as soon as possible (see contact information below). Give them your name and let them know you live in their district. Ask them to please vote NO on HR 3824. Tell them you support the Endangered Species Act as written and you want them to as well.

If you cannot call, please send an e-mail and put "Vote NO on HR 3824" in the subject line.

Even if you have already contacted your representative on this issue, please do so again. We need you to help stop this bill!

On the Web: You can find contact information and e-mail your representative at www.congress.org. Just click on "U.S. Congress" in the left-hand menu, type in your zip code, and click Go!

Phone: Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Give them your zip code and ask for the phone numbers for your representative.


Get More Info:
Read more about this issue at the Endangered Species Coalition web site: www.stopextinction.org. (SMC is a member of the coalition.)

You can also go to the Center for Biological Diversity’s website at www.biologicaldiversity.org for a thorough critique of Pombo’s bill.

Read an editorial on this issue from the Sarasota Herald Tribune.


Looks like they are really afraid for their JOBS!!!!!!!!
Dean

cuda

Boy, it sure sounded like that St Pete Times article was just reporting the news.

That's one thing I always hated about that fishwrap, I wish they would keep their opinions on the op-ed page.

tiufb

Another issue is that there are strong arguments that the manatee should be upgraded from endangered to threatened. Some evidence suggests that the save the manatee groups have been underestimating the manatee population for several years.

frequentflyer

So can we / should we use the above info to support the passing of the bill as they are trying to block it ?

CigDaze

That's one thing with which the St. Pete Times could never be accused.

Dean Ferry

Most definitely, just hit the link and tell them you support the bill.
Thanks,
Dean

PatriYacht

The worst thing about these enviro-wackos is they can't tell the truth. The sky is always falling, there is always some disaster lurking just around the corner. Does anyone remember all of the doomsday predictions about the New Orleans flood water and how it was going to pollute the gulf. The mussel and shellfish fishermen are already back at work in the gulf.

Dean Ferry

So true. Lurking disasters allow them to keep their cushy useless jobs!
Dean

ratman

BBB725, dont know how the are on dock permits else where, but in fla if you have an old dock you can rebuild it with out any permits its called maintenance. one of my friends got some old rotted pilings and sunk them in the area where he wanted his new dock. then after sinking the old pilings he built his new dock. one of my waterfront homes had some old rotted pilings so built a bad azz deck/dock with no worries. if any g'ment a holes come asking i will show them the old pilings underneath my new dock.

Dean Ferry

I too have done the same thing, BUT I don't know if it would pass the test if the Army Corp of Engineers or the FL DEP showed up @ the house I believe the regulation reads, "if you touch the bottom of the lake, river, canal, etc", you need to get a permit.
BBB275 good luck, keep up the fight.
Dean