From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel) Subject: Endangered Species Act Under Attack Date: Sun, 5 Feb 1995 19:31:03 GMT Organization: PACH /** headlines: 1108.0 **/ ** Topic: Endangered Species Act Under Attack ** ** Written 9:59 PM Jan 29, 1995 by econet in cdp:headlines ** /*Written 1:45PM Jan 20,1995 by fund4animals@econet.org in biodiversity*/ /* ---------- "Endangered Species Act Under Attack" ---------- */ URGENT ACTION ALERT WE MUST TELL OUR FEDERAL OFFICIALS THEY WERE NOT ELECTED TO GUT OUR WILDLIFE PROTECTION LAWS! With the new U.S. House and Senate, all environmental and animal protection laws are at risk. This past November 8th, Americans elected to office the most conservative U.S. Congress we have seen since before the original Earth Day, more than two decades ago! Fueled and funded by big timber, mining, ranching and development industries, anti-wildlife legislators such as Representative Don Young (R-AK), have moved into positions of real power. As the new Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Young -- co-chair of the anti-wildlife Congressional Sportsman's Caucus and henchman of the trophy hunting Safari Club International; the man who waved a club at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Mollie Beattie and verbally harassed her during a public Committee meeting; the man who accused The Fund for Animals' President Cleveland Amory of breaking a fox's leg and staging a trapping video -- will be in full control of America's wildlife and wild lands. In a December 30, 1994 publication of the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Rep. Young had this to say regarding environmentalists and his agenda: ". . .environmentalists -- the self-centered bunch. The waffle stomping, Harvard-graduating, intellectual bunch of idiots that don't understand that they're leading this country into environmental disaster. . . .I don't have any use for them. They are one of the most self-serving individual groups I've ever run into in my life. . . .Number one will be a revision of the Endangered Species Act. . . .Intent will be explained again and put into law what the Endangered Species Act was meant to be. That will be done. . .within six months." If Rep. Young has his way, Congress will vote on the Endangered Species Act by early June. This means we must start fighting to save wildlife today! PLEASE CALL AND WRITE EVERY LEGISLATOR AND LET THEM KNOW: (1) THEIR CONSTITUENTS SUPPORT WILDLIFE PROTECTION LAWS. Government was established to benefit the common person -- me, not just those industries that destroy our lands for profit. We need them to protect wild lands and wildlife. (2) THE CRISIS OF EXTINCTION HAS NOT LEFT US. Twenty-one years ago Congress passed the Endangered Species Act so that future generations could experience our country's natural world. The crisis that influenced that passage has not yet left us. Currently (a) one quarter of the world's species could be lost over the next 50 years; (b) up to 100 species per day will become extinct worldwide by the year 2000; and (c) 480 plants and animals on the North American continent have become extinct since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (3) THERE IS NO REAL PRIVATE PROPERTY CONFLICT. Using permits, the ESA provides for the consideration of economic concerns throughout the entire recovery process. And, no federal court has ever found that the implementation of the ESA has taken private property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. (4) BIODIVERSITY SAVES HUMAN LIVES AND WILD ECOSYSTEMS. Over 40 percent of all pharmaceutical medicines used today are derived or synthesized from natural substances. We can't afford to lose species before we are aware of their value to our health and the health of all ecosystems. ASK SENATORS TO SIGN-ON TO THE "DON'T UNDERMINE ESA PROTECTION" LETTER ADDRESSED TO SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DOLE AND MINORITY LEADER DASCHLE! We need to cement support for imperiled wildlife in the Senate. The Senate must be the "Fire-wall" against any destructive language that the House is able to pass. Please contact your Senators and Representatives immediately and repeatedly. If you need any assistance in drafting letters or organizing meetings with elected officials, please contact Brigid or Danielle at The Fund for Animals' campaign office at (301) 585-2591. We can also give you detailed information about your officials and where they stand regarding wildlife protection. ** End of text from cdp:headlines ** *************************************************************************** This material came from PeaceNet, a non-profit progressive networking service. For more information, send a message to peacenet-info@igc.apc.org ***************************************************************************