Top republican lawmakers are taking action to convince federal authorities not to add northern long-eared bats to the endangered species list.
Senate Republican Ron Johnson and House Republicans Sean Duffy, Jim Sensenbrenner, and Reid Ribble of Wisconsin, and Senate Republican John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota contacted the U.S. Interior Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protest the potential endangered species listing, saying regulations to protect long-eared bats could harm the timber industry.
The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed adding long-eared bats to the endangered list in October 2013, due to concerns over the fungal disease white nose syndrome, which has killed over 5.5 million bats across the Northeast and Canada. Delisting the bat before it's had a chance to recover its numbers would allow the timber industry to cut down trees that bats use as summer habitats. This would force bats to seek shelter in closer quarters, potentially speeding the spread of white nose syndrome.
Please sign the petition to urge authorities to put the survival of beneficial bats above timber interests.
We, the undersigned, are concerned with lawmakers' efforts to prevent long-eared bats from being added to the endangered species list.
As you know, Senate Republican Ron Johnson and House Republicans Sean Duffy, Jim Sensenbrenner, and Reid Ribble of Wisconsin, and Senate Republican John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota contacted the U.S. Interior Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protest the proposed endangered species listing, saying regulations to protect long-eared bats could harm the timber industry.
The Fish and Wildlife Service suggested adding long-eared bats to the endangered list in October 2013, due to concerns over the fungal disease white nose syndrome, which has killed over 5.5 million bats across the Northeast and Canada. Delisting the bat before it's had a chance to recover its numbers would allow the timber industry to cut down trees that bats use as summer habitats. We believe this would force bats to seek shelter in closer quarters, potentially speeding the spread of white nose syndrome. Even if the disease is quarantined in one cave, bats should have the chance to recover their populations before being delisted.
We respectfully urge you to put the survival of beneficial bats above timber interests. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
