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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 10, 2015 - 10:52pm PT
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Your Handy Guide to Attacks on How the Endangered Species Act Uses Science
Michael Halpern, program manager, Center for Science & Democracy
May 6, 2015
Gut the science. That’s how this Congress intends to undermine our nation’s environmental and public health laws. Most of the action over the past few years has been in the House, but tomorrow, a Senate committee will consider eight bills that would hack away at the Endangered Species Act. This is the first Senate hearing on endangered species in years, so it’s worth taking a look at all of the ways that Congress is trying to make this insanely popular law ineffective without having the courage to scrap it.
Why is the Endangered Species Act successful? Because it is grounded in reliance on the best available science. So let’s look at the different ways that Congress wants to take science out of the equation:
Wolf staring into camera
Three separate bills would remove the wolf from the endangered species list–a decision that is supposed to be based on science, not politics. Photo: Gary Kramer/UWFWS
Allow politics to determine which species are deserving of protection. The law is designed to be resilient to politics: science, and science alone, is supposed to determine what species make it on the list. Then other factors can be considered when a plan is put together to conserve a species. But a new bill in the House would require economic considerations to be taken into account in listing decisions.
Reduce agency effectiveness by requiring more study with fewer resources. Given federal budget woes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) can’t even keep up with its current mandate—scores of species are considered candidate species waiting for evaluation. The Senate’s Common Sense in Species Protection Act of 2015 legislation would require additional economic analyses of the effects of all actions, creating more work without any more money.
Demand excessive disclosure of information in the name of “transparency.” The Senate’s 21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act would require the government to publish massive amounts of raw scientific data instead of the current data summary when it makes decisions about the protection of species. This would not only create more unfunded costs for the agency–it would also make it considerably easier for poachers to find out exactly where species can be found. It would also require the release of unpublished scientific data, discouraging independent scientists from contributing their research to the government for consideration.
Require the government to consider bad science. Among other things, a bill in the Senate (S. 736) tells federal wildlife agencies to consider all data submitted by state, tribal, or county governments as the “best scientific and commercial data available”—even if it hasn’t gone through peer review or is scientifically shoddy. More hurdles, less work.
The greater sage grouse is another species on Congress' hit list. Photo: Stephen Ting/USFWS
The greater sage grouse is another species on Congress’ hit list. Photo: Stephen Ting/USFWS
Allow short-term economic interests to trump science in protecting a species’ habitat. The Act requires the government to designate critical habitat that is necessary for a species to live and reproduce. This is, as you might expect, essential to the survival of a species. But the “Common Sense” bill would prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from designating critical habitat based on the best available science, instead requiring the department to prioritize short-term economic interests (such as oil and gas extraction or logging).
Single out specific species when protection threatens powerful interests. Congress has made a habit of going after individual species that some don’t like. There are three House bills—count em, one, two, three—to remove the grey wolf from the endangered species list. There’s one to prevent the protection of the northern long-eared bat. There’s another that singles out the sage grouse. If the wolves and the sage grouse have this difficult of a time, imagine what kind of chance the less cute and cuddly animals will have in a Congress hell-bent on eviscerating our nation’s bedrock science-based laws.
Unfortunately, Pandora’s box was opened a few years ago when environmentalists supported an agreement to delist the wolf in several states, temporarily forgetting that wolves don’t pay attention to road signs. That agreement was eventually overturned in court.
Exempt the most localized species from the law. The deceptively-named “Native Species Protection Act” would prevent the government from protecting any species that is currently found in only one state. A protection act that prohibits protection. Nice work, Congress!
One threat to the Nothern long-eared bat is white-nose syndrome. Another is Congress.
Where’s Obama?
So you’d think the Obama administration would be pushing back hard on this, right? Well, not necessarily. While it’s true that the administration issued a veto threat against the process bills, it allowed a sage grouse rider to attach to a December budget bill.
More troubling are signals that some in the Obama administration are not that enthusiastic about implementing the law. When testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee, FWS Director Dan Ashe didn’t exactly defend critical habitat. The relevant exchange starts at 31:00:
Ashe: When we designate critical habitat, we are complying with the law. The law requires when we list a species that we consider the designation of critical habitat.
Rep. McClintock: It reminds me of a Dickens comment from Mr. Bumble, “If that is the law the law is a (sic) ass, perhaps we should change it.”
Ashe: Well if you decide to change it…then I would implement the law. But as it’s written today, I have to designate critical habitat I have only very limited exceptions that I can apply.
Rep. McClintock: We’ll look forward to working with you then, on those changes.
This. Is. Not. Helpful. If the FWS director won’t stand up for critical habitat, it’s more likely that bills like the Common Sense in Species Protection Act will pass.
All of these bills, of course, are very similar to other anti-science legislation that if signed into law would undermine all public health, safety, and environmental laws well beyond the Endangered Species Act. The administration has been strong in opposing this radical onslaught of legislation on other issues, and should do so for endangered species as well.
It’s open season on these species. And it’s open season on the science.
Posted in: Science and Democracy, Scientific Integrity Tags: ashe, endangered species, Endangered Species Act, regulation, science, wolves
About the author: Michael Halpern is an expert on political interference in science and solutions to reduce suppression, manipulation, and distortion of government science.
http://blog.ucsusa.org/your-handy-guide-to-attacks-on-how-the-endangered-species-act-uses-science-726#.VU0foM5DrUU.linkedin
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Hardly Visible
Social climber
Llatikcuf WA
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May 11, 2015 - 09:15am PT
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309 responses about pink pointing and zero responses about this?
Sure let's have congress turn over the management of science based legislation to local chambers of commerce and big corporations.
Perhaps we can get executives from Peabody coal and ExxonMobil to provide the science for the Environmental protection agency. Wouldn't that be swell?
I'm sure that the Blue ribbon coalition and the Western lumbermen's association would provide the very best of science when it came to the protection of endangered species. What are we waiting for?
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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May 11, 2015 - 09:37am PT
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We need bigger trucks, no, we deserve bigger trucks! < the US problem in a nutshell.
We are becoming increasingly uglier and arrogant as a species with each piece of legislation these days.
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Craig Fry
Trad climber
So Cal.
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May 11, 2015 - 09:39am PT
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Those crazy Republicans, why do they hate science?
Because science is just like the Government, it's the only thing that prevents them from screwing us for money.
The EPA is next on their hit list, they need to gut it so those poor polluters won't be so burdened with expensive regulations.
They could save so much money if they could pollute willy nilly, right?
Climate Change denying, pro toxic fracking, water injection induced earthquakes, NSA spying, war with Iran and taking away womens right to an abortion are just a sample of all the Bad ideas that the Republicans support.
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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May 11, 2015 - 09:52am PT
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You are correct on almost all of your points Craig, but don't forget this...
**Where’s Obama?
So you’d think the Obama administration would be pushing back hard on this, right? Well, not necessarily. While it’s true that the administration issued a veto threat against the process bills, it allowed a sage grouse rider to attach to a December budget bill.**
I am mostly displeased with the current admin, I thought(hoped) they would do better for our country, resources and direction for the future.
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hashbro
Trad climber
Mental Physics........
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May 11, 2015 - 10:00am PT
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Since the Koch-Publicans are running policy/politics nation-wide, their effort to suppress peer reviewed science is a business move (helping corporations continue their takeover of what has been the public trust).
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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May 11, 2015 - 10:36am PT
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Sceince doesn't tell us how to resolve economic issues. It often fails even to give us the terms of trade. Meanwhile, the reactionary left, still uncomfortable with free people making economic choices, rails against those who want elected officials, rather than unelected, and virtually untouchable, bureaucrats making those choices.
Carry on.
John
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two-shoes
Trad climber
Auberry, CA
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May 11, 2015 - 10:48am PT
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Science doesn't tell us how to resolve economic issues? It must be run by a religion then.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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May 11, 2015 - 11:05am PT
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No, Barry, we don't resolve economic issues based on religion. We resolve economic issues based on personal preferences, and science doesn't tell us much about that. It can - and should - tell us about trade-offs. For example, I look to science to see the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change. I can't, however, rely only on science to tell me how much carbon emissions need to change without having some idea of the effect on general welfare of both an increase in climate change and a decrease in carbon emissions.
All of these choices, including inaction, have costs and benefits. Whether the costs of a particular action justify its benefits depends on peoples' preferences. Show me what science can tell me about that.
John
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Ward Trotter
Trad climber
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May 11, 2015 - 11:13am PT
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What we have here is a rather transparent attempt by political activists/interest groups to hide behind "science".
The Delta Smelt was used to derail California's desperately needed water projects for decades-- and now,guess what? It hasn't worked-- the smelt numbers are lower than ever.
Many environmental laws have been used and abused as just another means of political control and power.
For every sincere and reasonable environmentalist out there we have a dozen sneaky control-freak politicians, bribing lobbyists, and heavy- handed activist judges who think they can make soundly "scientific" decisions.
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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May 11, 2015 - 12:30pm PT
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The justification for the topic:
Why the desire for ignorance rather than informed discussion? The reason is pure politics.
So here is what we get when we are so concerned about economy as opposed to the health of the system?
Wyoming just criminalized citizen science
So, I take it that folks that are gung ho for the economy; enough to put it above clean water, are the type that spend 5k on fancy paint when what the car needs is plugs, rings timing chain, tires, etc etc.
^^my opinion
...only an ugly, dishonest mind that lacks humility could justify the type of laws in the article. What is this thing about liberty? I thought the right was for personal freedom?
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10b4me
Social climber
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May 11, 2015 - 01:13pm PT
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The endangered species act has been a TOOL to use by the Feds for quite some time now- one of their bigger scams was the Spotted Owl. And they will go either way with those flagships- destroying them or protecting to the level of economic destruction of industries.. This became a popular ploy when the greeners started in earnest here in the USA. They have been desperately trying to use the sage grouse in NV to throw off ranchers, clearing the land to be sold for exploration of gas, oil, minerals , water and power. And much of that being offered to FOREIGN investors. Selling off our lands one chunk at a time.
you're contradicting yourself, Ron.
Furthermore, why would the "greeners" want to clear land for oil, gas, and mineral exporation?
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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May 11, 2015 - 02:13pm PT
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Thanks John! Why I didn't look further into it before posting? Being lazy. Well, that ain't no excuse either. Thanks for the legiscan link too, I've never been there. So is it really saying you are not guilty of being there unless collect data?
What if your pics depict terrorist activity, not the green peace kind(that they are after) but more like McVeigh/US_DroneMissions/Al SomeUSally/etc.etc Should you then turn your illegally acquired data over to the authorities??
edit
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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May 12, 2015 - 09:44am PT
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no, it is just about trespassing, that is all. You know how conservatives are with liberty and their 'property'. :^)
The e coli in the streams is one thing but have you ever been through Riverton or any of the mega fracking fields in WY?? If so, then you know why this law was signed(my opinion). If not then we'll hear about their water supply n'such within the next 20 yrs, maybe sooner, that is my guess.
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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May 12, 2015 - 04:49pm PT
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Hardly Visible
Social climber
Llatikcuf WA
May 11, 2015 - 09:15am PT
309 responses about pink pointing and zero responses about this?
Yeah it's all over the Internet and being challenged by all the smart lobbying groups.
Nobody in those circles cares about supertopo and the circle jerk that drives this forum so don't sweat the lack of responses from this place.
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dirtbag
climber
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May 20, 2015 - 05:27am PT
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Wow...that's a newsflash bookworm.
The truth is you systematically reject science that doesn't mesh with your far right ideology.
Why don't you at least be honest about that fact?
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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May 20, 2015 - 08:30am PT
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The endangered species act is, and has been in need of a major overhaul for decades.
The federal government is finally doing something about the blackmailing it has endured by groups using the existing laws to further their agendas, whether or not these agendas are based in science.
I absolutely support the federal government's attempt to change these laws and stop
unscrupulous groups from clogging our courts with frivolous lawsuits, causing already underfunded agencies to bow to their wishes.
We can protect animals without losing access to our lands. Balance, not blackmail is the key.
Change is needed.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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May 20, 2015 - 09:11am PT
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Gutting science is like jury rigging...Laws are the tools for balance...
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