The new status quo is unacceptable. While
the environmental industry rakes in millions of
taxpayer dollars, endangered species are left
with meaningless federal protections that provide
no pathway to recovery. While federal agencies
craft new regulations to expand their authority
and control more land, business owners and rural
communities are excluded from creating workable
conservation plans.
needs of endangered species and the people most
affected by implementation of the law. AFBF will
continue to seek out new partners in Congress as
we work together to identify and pursue timely
improvements to the ESA.
Ryan Yates is a director of congressional
relations at the American Farm Bureau
Federation.
It’s time for a change of direction. Congress
needs to work with states and the agricultural
community to create and pass legislation that
reforms the ESA with four key components:
ATTENTION MINERAL OWNERS
Confused About:
• Leasing
• Pipeline Projects
• Your Royalty Payments
1)
Prioritize active recovery of currently
listed species over adding new listings;
2)
Empower state and local governments
to lead local species recovery and management
plans;
3)
Ensure that sound, peer-reviewed science
and economic analysis is required in all ESA
decisions;
4)
Incentivize private landowners’ voluntary
species conservation efforts.
During a recent Senate
Environment and Public Works
Committee hearing, FWS
Director Dan Ashe noted that
it is possible to bring people
of goodwill together to find
practical solutions for overdue
improvements to the ESA. We
agree with Director Ashe that
legislative reform of the ESA
is indeed possible, and argue
that these substantive reforms
are long overdue.
The scope and reach of the
ESA is far more expansive
today, covering activities and
situations not contemplated
when it was originally enacted.
But Congress can improve the
processes and procedures it put
in place 40 years ago so that
the ESA better serves both the
Become a NARO member and start
learning how to manage your oil & gas
minerals and royalty interests.
Call 1-877-341-3244 today for information
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West Virginia Farm Bureau News 9