Tell Senators: Stop the "Wildlife Extinction" bill
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has protected magnificent creatures such as the bald eagle, gray wolf, Florida panther, grizzly bear, sea otter, and American alligator from extinction.
But in September, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Richard Pombo's (R-CA) "Wildlife Extinction" bill, which would gut the Endangered Species Act. Contrary to assertions by Rep. Pombo, the bill would undermine, not enhance, species recovery.
This dangerous bill exempts all pesticide decisions from ESA compliance; replaces the current mandatory critical habitat system with an optional system that fails to protect habitat essential for recovery; and even requires the federal government to use taxpayer dollars to pay developers for compliance with the law!
The fate of the Endangered Species Act will ultimately be decided in the Senate. Help us ensure that the Pombo "Wildlife Extinction" bill does NOT become law. Send a message to your Senators now!
Dear Senator,
As your constituent and a supporter of Defenders of Wildlife, I am writing to let you know about a reckless endangered species bill recently passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate. Rep. Richard Pombo's misleadingly titled "Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005" (H.R. 3824), or any similar legislation, should be vigorously opposed.
[Your personal comments here]
I am seriously concerned about the bill's effect on the Endangered Species Act. The Act has been wildly successful in preventing the extinction of many magnificent creatures, including grizzly bears, wolves, manatees, sea otters and the bald eagle. Since 1973 only nine out of the 1,800 animals protected by the Act have gone extinct.
I am concerned that this bill could actually lead to more wildlife extinctions and undermine our national commitment to protecting endangered plants and animals by sharply diminishing habitat protections, allowing federal agencies to ignore their responsibility to protect endangered species, weakening the role of science in decisions that affect endangered species and making taxpayers pay developers to comply with the law.
I sincerely hope you will vigorously oppose any effort by the Senate to approve H.R. 3824 or any other legislation that would undermine the Endangered Species Act.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
