Repeal the ESA
Now!
A campaign
to repeal the ESA is in full gear lead by Stewards of the Range, Liberty
Matters and American Land Foundation. "To date, we have collected over
2,500 signatures and it's growing daily," said Margaret Byfield,
executive director of Stewards. Richard Pombo (R-CA), passed an ESA bill
that "strengthened and modernized" the Act, but provided aid to
landowners whose land was affected by endangered species. Now, Senator
Mike Crapo (R-ID) has filed S. 2110, a bill that looks nothing like the
House bill and it is reported Senators Inhofe (R-OK), Lincoln Chaffee
(R-RI), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and James Jeffords (I-VT) are working on
their own version. The Senate is a much more liberal body where property
rights protections are rare. "It may not be politically correct to say,
but the truth of the matter is, the ESA is a tool to control private
property and it has never been used to protect endangered species,"
stated Byfield. "It needs to be repealed." To sign the letter calling
for repeal of the ESA go to www.stewards.us
or call 1-800-847-0227.
USDA: No Mandatory Animal ID By
2009
The
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) coordinator, Neil
Hammerschmidt, told members of R-CALF USA at their annual meeting there
won't be a mandatory animal ID program in place by 2009, as stated in
the Draft Strategic Plan. The delay is due to producer complaints about
the proposed methods of storing the data and the need to address those
concerns. Further, he said, USDA's attorneys are researching whether
they have the authority to require producers to report livestock
movement to a private entity. Dr. John Clifford, who is in charge of
NAIS, said USDA is proposing the development of a "mega data repository"
that would tap into existing livestock association data bases and state
and tribal animal health agencies. This system could allow USDA "to send
queries for animal movement records only to those databases that have
information on a subject animal or animals. The next step for USDA,
Clifford said, is to "begin evaluating the animal movement tracking
databases of organizations wanting to participate in the NAIS."
Postponement of the mandatory animal ID phase brings into question why
several states insist on proceeding with plans to require mandatory
premises registration if USDA is unable to have the program running
until after 2009. Texas, for example, still plans to require mandatory
premises registration by July 1, 2006.
Tide Turns on Nature
Conservancy
Commissioners from Willacy County, Texas, are hoping acquisition
of a part of Padre Island will encourage an influx of beach-going
tourists and give a boost to the County's coffers. However, they are
facing a problem. The owner of the targeted land belongs to The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) and that group doesn't want to sell. The commissioners
figure they could bolster the county's sagging economy by ferrying
beach-goers to Padre Island from the fishing port at Port Mansfield, a
nine-and-a-half mile trip across the Laguna Madre Bay. Since TNC refused
to cooperate, the Commissioners voted in November to seize the land by
eminent domain. County Attorney Juan Angel Guerra said they can legally
do so because it will allow the public easier access to the island
satisfying the "public use" requirements of the Fifth Amendment, as well
as, Texas' newly minted eminent domain law. The county didn't let TNC in
on the plan, however. "No one at Willacy County has made any attempt
whatsoever to contact the Nature Conservancy about this matter," said
Carter Smith, TNC's state director. TNC had earlier entertained the
thought, but reconsidered after concerns about how the County would
protect endangered species. Port Director Mike Wilson repudiated TNC's
environmental worries: "I don't know why there would be more of an
impact for our people coming over on a boat," he said. "How would there
be any more impact than people driving [25 miles] up the beach?"
ESA Costs $1.4 Billion for
2004
The U. S.
Fish and Wildlife Service sent a report to Congress last week detailing
the costs incurred to manage endangered species for the year 2004, the
latest information available. The Service gathered the numbers from 30
federal agencies in all 50 states. The information includes everything
from scientific research and public meetings to law enforcement,
planning and paperwork. The government spent an estimated $6,000 per
grizzly bear and with the species believed to number between 1,200 and
1,400 in the western states, the total climbed to about $7.7 million in
2004. The government's wolves ate up $3.2 million in 2004, an estimated
$3,878 for each of the known 835 predators. The pallid salmon, a
pre-historic-looking bottom-feeder that plays a major role in government
plans to control the Mississippi River corridor cost 13 million. All in
all, the agency's report concluded that at least $1.4 billion was spent
in 2004. Money well-spent believes Tom France, of the National Wildlife
Foundation. "I think there's a tremendous ripple effect," he said. "For
a species like the grizzly, it's an indicator species for the wildness
of the greater Yellowstone." Remember, a billion seconds ago it was
1959. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. A billion hours ago our
ancestors were living in the Stone Age. A billion dollars ago was only 8
hours and 20 minutes, at the rate Washington spends.
