New Bush Regulations Use Forest Fire Threat to Undermine Endangered Species Act
Groups Move to Block Regulations That Cut Wildlife Experts out of the Loop When Assessing Impact of Forest Fire Plans
(03/11/2004) - WASHINGTON – New regulations issued by the Bush Administration seriously and unnecessarily undermine a cornerstone provision of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), according to a coalition of conservation organizations that today announced their intention to have the rules overturned in court. The ESA requires that every federal agency consult with federal wildlife agencies, including the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), to ensure that they avoid any action which is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species. Under the Administration’s new regulations, the Forest Service and other federal agencies would no longer be required to consult with the FWS on thousands of logging, road building and other activities the Administration labels as fire prevention. Groups expressed concern that the forest fire rules allow the Forest Service to designate virtually any project as a fire prevention activity, opening the door to hundreds, perhaps thousands of projects harmful to endangered wildlife, in particular the lynx, which makes it home in the Rockies."This Administration is irresponsibly using last year’s devastating wildfires as an excuse to further undermine the Endangered Species Act. It’s a dangerous diversion from the real job at hand, protecting our communities from wildfire," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "Species like the lynx would bear the brunt of this ploy that uses the threat of fire to throw open our forests to the timber industry."
The Administration has failed to put forth any evidence to support its claim that the ESA consultation process has ever hindered legitimate fire prevention projects or that the existing regulatory structure – which has been in place for nearly 20 years and with which every other federal agency must comply – is in any way incompatible with ongoing efforts to reduce wildfires.
"We can have safe communities while we help endangered wildlife recover from the brink, but not if the federal government refuses to even ask how the two can fit together," said Schlickeisen.
In the same notice, the groups also notified the FWS of their intent to challenge the agency’s ongoing failure to provide the lynx and its habitat with the protections to which it is legally entitled under the ESA.
The groups sending the notice of intent to sue include Defenders of Wildlife, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance, Predator Conservation Alliance, Oregon Natural Resources Council, The Fund for Animals, Humane Society of the U.S., Restore: The North Woods, Superior Action Wilderness Network, Center for Biological Diversity, Kettle Range Conservation Group, American Lands Alliance and one individual, Mark Skatrud.
###
Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 450,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.
Contact(s):
William Lutz, (202) 772-0269
