US Votes to Gut the Endangered Species Act

On September 29, 2005, the U.S.House of Representatives passed “The Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act” (TESRA), legislation designed to make significant changes in the Endangered Species Act passed in the 1970s. The legislation, carried by Republican congressman Richard Pombo from California’s 11th District, representing the eastern Bay Area, severely restricts the ability of the federal government to protect wildlife habitat.

Among key provisions in the bill are those that would limit the jurisdiction of the federal government to protect endangered species that are found on private land, and require the Fish and Wildlife Service to pay special interests when their proposed projects would harm or kill endangered species. Currently, threatened species also receive blanket protection from harm. TESRA requires that the USFWS issue separate regulation for each threatened species. Many species would be stripped of protection.

Representative Pombo is a third generation rancher and a staunch advocate of the protection of property rights. As chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, he has also recently proposed selling 15 national parks for commercial or economic development, in order to raise needed revenue to balance the budget. An aide to Mr. Pombo claims that even the congressman considers the selling of parks a bad idea, but the sale was proposed as an alternative to Mr. Pombo’s true goal: opening the Arctic National Wildlife refuge to drilling.

Marketplace, a National Public Radio financial program claims that Mr. Pombo, his wife and staff have accepted $23,000 in travel funds from the International Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources. This green-sounding non-profit filed tax documents that show its backers include the Japan Whaling Association, the International Fur Traders Association, a company shut down after its president was convicted of smuggling and violating endangered species protection, and the chemical giant, Monsanto.

"Nothing is more priceless and more worth of preservation than the rich
array of animal life with which our country has been blessed."

-- Richard Nixon, upon signing the Endangered Species Act on Dec 19, 1973