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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnti-Wildlife Proposals Flood Capitol Hill
Anti-wildlife Senators showed their true colors last week as they unleashed a torrent of proposals that if adopted, could cripple endangered species conservation efforts for years to come.
Proposals ranged from delaying the listing of highly imperiled species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to restricting access to the courts to enforce the ESA, to creating loopholes in restrictions on the elephant ivory trade for special interests.
The proposals came as part of the shameless free-for-all in the Senate known in Washington as vote-o-rama. Technically, its part of the Congressional budget process, but in practice its little more than a special interest stampede to raid the federal budget and advance extreme ideological agendas.
Heres just a sampling of what was proposed:
Amendment #759 by Senator Mike Lee would ban federal protection for any endangered species whose range falls entirely within one state. Roughly half of all endangered species would fall under this exception and lose federal protection.
Amendment #452 by Senator Dean Heller would indefinitely delay a listing decision on the dwindling population of greater sage-grouse under the ESA, making it all but impossible to provide federal protection for this imperiled species.
Amendment #606 by Senator Steve Daines would relax restrictions on trade in elephant ivory, creating further enforcement loopholes that would aggravate the poaching crisis that these magnificent creatures face.
While these proposals never made it to an actual vote, their Senate sponsors have tipped their hands and identified their anti-ESA agendas - and many of these proposals are likely to be reintroduced in the Senate in the months ahead.
Tell your elected officials to uphold the nations commitment to protecting imperiled wildlife!
http://dfnd.us/1aiRfuQ
2naSalit
(86,643 posts)one of my senators, our TP senator as opposed to our DINO senator Tester who illegally succeeded in removing the grey wolf from the ESA protections and also forbade any litigation to contest this action even though litigation is the ONLY avenue of remedy for any issue regarding the ESA. Sad part of it is that much of our wildlife, in Montana, are under attack by ranching and mining interests and dumb-as-fuck rednecks who don't have much, if any, education. Even if they go to college, they are subject to advocates of human dominion over all things rather than teaching them about critical thought and why it's important. And the faction who flaunt their ignorance by choice as a badge of honor.
We can soon just kiss the biosphere good bye along with any aspirations for the continued life support we humans, and most other life forms; now enjoy. Our time has come and it's our own doing. Glad I'm already old.
G_j
(40,367 posts)but, I can find no better description.