[Vision2020] Fw: SUCCESS FOR MORE THAN JUST A FEW

[lfalen]

-----Original message-----

From: "Crapo News Release (Crapo)" newsclips at crapo.senate.gov
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:07:06 -0700
To: 
Subject: SUCCESS FOR MORE THAN JUST A FEW

FOR RELEASE 	                        CONTACT:           Susan Wheeler
(202) 224-5150
Week of July 22, 2007			      Laura Thurston Goodroe
(202) 224-7500

			SUCCESS FOR MORE THAN JUST A FEW
		Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

A 67-year federal project came to a triumphant close in June.  Our
nation's majestic symbol, the Bald Eagle, was officially removed from
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list of threatened and endangered
species.  While ESA protection has only been in place since 1973, the
bald eagle has been federally protected since 1940.  Today, the bald
eagle has been restored to over 9,700 breeding pairs.  This historic
event happens at a time when Idaho is dealing with protection and
proposed delisting of other species under the ESA including gray wolves
and grizzly bears.  It's an opportune time to discuss what delisting
means and proposed improvements to the ESA which I am working on.  

Delisting is the removal of a species from the Federal Lists of
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.  Downlisting is the
reclassification of a species from Endangered to Threatened.  Both
delisting and downlisting result from successful recovery efforts;
delisting can also result from new evidence of additional populations.
For delisting, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) determines that the
species isn't threatened based on a variety of factors including
population size, stability of habitat quality and quantity, and control
or elimination of threats.  If some threats have been eliminated and the
species has met certain recovery goals, the FWS may downlist a species.


The decision and process to delist a species is complex, resembling
steps required to list a species.  Multiple assessments of population,
existing threats, future threats and other regulatory protections
include input from stakeholders at the local, state and federal level.
Following successful delisting, a species is monitored for at least five
years.  Delisting does not mean there are no longer protections for that
species.  Other state and federal laws also provide protection such as
the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The ESA, as written, has had some successes like the bald eagle, but we
can do better.  ESA processes, like other regulatory procedures, must be
reviewed periodically for effectiveness and applicability to changed
physical and regulatory realities.  Accordingly, I've been working on
legislation to update the ESA to better serve species.  This spring,
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) and I introduced the Endangered
Species Recovery Act (ESRA), which codifies much-needed tax incentives
to make it simpler for private landowners to get involved in recovery
efforts. 

Over 80 percent of endangered species live on private property.  ESRA,
like the voluntary Farm Bill conservation programs that inspired its
creation, makes it more attractive for private landowners to contribute
to species recovery.  ESRA tax incentives encourage species recovery by
reimbursing landowners for property rights affected by agreements
including conservation easements and costs incurred by species
management plans.  When people want to participate, the likelihood of
conflict and litigation is reduced.  This new model facilitates more
solutions and better recovery results. 

In April, five members of the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee wrote to Interior Secretary Kempthorne, asking, among other
things, for him to consider the ESRA as an example of a constructive
solution to current ESA challenges.  I was also encouraged to hear that
the Senate Finance Committee may consider ESRA prior to the August state
work period.  

The ESRA provides collaborative, creative ways to balance resource
conservation with economic uses of natural resources and preserves rural
living.  I look forward to working with my Senate and House colleagues
to move ahead with this legislation which provides a new model for
better conservation work.  It's a good omen that our nation's symbol is
no longer endangered or threatened.  It's time to apply lessons learned
in species recovery efforts to expand species recovery in the future.  

WORD COUNT: 597

To link directly to this news release, please go to:
http://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=279285&&


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