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Lawmakers, Lobbyists and the Administration Join Forces To Overhaul the Endangered Species Act (nytimes.com)
An anonymous reader shares a report: The Endangered Species Act, which for 45 years has safeguarded fragile wildlife while blocking ranching, logging and oil drilling on protected habitats, is coming under attack from lawmakers, the White House and industry on a scale not seen in decades, driven partly by fears that the Republicans will lose ground in November's midterm elections. In the past two weeks, more than two dozen pieces of legislation, policy initiatives and amendments designed to weaken the law have been either introduced or voted on in Congress or proposed by the Trump administration.
The actions included a bill to strip protections from the gray wolf in Wyoming and along the western Great Lakes; a plan to keep the sage grouse, a chicken-size bird that inhabits millions of oil-rich acres in the West, from being listed as endangered for the next decade; and a measure to remove from the endangered list the American burying beetle, an orange-flecked insect that has long been the bane of oil companies that would like to drill on the land where it lives. [...] The new push to undo the wildlife protection law comes as Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, and is led by a president who has made deregulation -- the loosening of not only environmental protections but banking rules, car fuel efficiency standards and fair housing enforcement -- a centerpiece of his administration.
The actions included a bill to strip protections from the gray wolf in Wyoming and along the western Great Lakes; a plan to keep the sage grouse, a chicken-size bird that inhabits millions of oil-rich acres in the West, from being listed as endangered for the next decade; and a measure to remove from the endangered list the American burying beetle, an orange-flecked insect that has long been the bane of oil companies that would like to drill on the land where it lives. [...] The new push to undo the wildlife protection law comes as Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, and is led by a president who has made deregulation -- the loosening of not only environmental protections but banking rules, car fuel efficiency standards and fair housing enforcement -- a centerpiece of his administration.
Overhaul is double speak for nothing is endangered.
Stupid Reps. Go find your own planet to destroy, but leave mine alone.
-- Cheers!
The word your looking for is "gut".
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I read this and I just can't forget the Leonard Cohen song:
Take the only tree that's left. Shove it up the hole in your culture.
I don't know what else to say, except to point out that when they say "this will create jobs" what it really means is that some large corporate interests will make billions ravaging without any restraint the already-stressed ecosystem and some minor percentage of it will be paid out to workers with the least amount of benefits they can manage and no job security.
So a beetle is gone. Who cares it was totally totally worth it.
conservation status is "least concern" and they're in europe and asia besides the USA.
great grouse, threatened or near threaten, okay lets watch out for that one.
but the burying beetle? world can live without it, we have 2 million or maybe 30 million species of bugs in this world, losing that one won't matter (and we're not going to lose it anyway, even with drilling, the land area its on is huge)
I'm a biology nerd. This is news that matters to me.
I don't respond to AC's.
fucking over this country every chance they get.
Fascism: An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. See also: NAZI's
The question is; will the Democrats roll-back this laxness now that Republicans have made such behaviour, acceptable governance?
Democracy is kicking-out the biggest arsehole but the US-ian habit of voting for the second-biggest arsehole, isn't working. It means the shadow party just has to wait until the voters are pissed-off or politicians fuck-up their primaries.
Everything you need to know about the state of the union, right there.
You are welcome on my lawn.
"craftsmen and artisans" who work with rare woods is not even a rounding error, either in jobs, exports or anything else. Esp. not in first-world countries.
Your ad here. Ask me how!
They conserve their pride first and foremost.
As written, the current endangered species laws promote "shoot and shovel" over actually protecting endangered species. Assume a farmer runs a family farm that has been in the family for generations and finds out that some endangered species of minnow is living in the pond that has been used to irrigate this farm for 100+ years. If a wildlife official ever learned of that minnow in that pond that farm is history since they will no longer be allowed to operate in any way that could endanger the lives of a handful of small fish. The farmer has every incentive to kill those fish as soon as possible before anyone else learns of their existence.
Or assume you own a few acres of woodland next to a thriving suburb and are going to subdivide it and build a small housing development. Partway through the process of clearing the land and paving sidewalks and cul-de-sacs you discover owl pellets from an endangered owl species you've never heard of. If the wildlife officials learn of this bird nest you're done with your development project and are out the tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars you've already spent. If that nest were to disappear before anyone official learns of its existence you're free to build and sell the 20 houses you originally planned.
You people seem to assume that this act's list of endangered species actually is built upon sound science.
So a review of this is certainly a good idea.
That being said, we all know what interests drive this so I don't expect a sensible outcome either...
Manatee. It's what's for dinner.
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
So, that's why the northern white rhino has been hunted to near extinction? As a recent example....
Actual extinction, I think you'll find.
(technically there's two left but they're both females so extinction is now guaranteed).
No sig today...
It's becoming clear that this sort of deregulation was what he meant when he talked about "draining the swamp".
No sig today...
If the burrowing beetle is "the bane of oil companies", then why don't we breed more burrowing beetles? That could become an effective method to fight global warming, now, wouldn't it?
No, seriously. Do proofread and edit submissions before posting!
Don't just copy and paste.
"We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
HOWEVER, from a purely ECONOMIC perspective, privatization and the legalization of trophy hunting does MORE to protect endangered species than the current laws.
This is an old claim by libertarians, but it fails as soon as it contacts reality. First, it only can work for animals that have a direct local economic benefit. It does nothing to protect something like the American burying beetle mentioned in the article. Secondly, while there may be mechanisms of self-interest that coincide with protecting animals if they are all privately owned, those very same mechanisms also hold for companies - and yet, a large number of private companies fail every year.
Stephan
They said that before, but nature finds a way.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
Except when it didn't for all those species that died off.
It's becoming clear that this sort of deregulation was what he meant when he talked about "draining the swamp".
No, he was just saying what the audience wanted to hear, as always. Don't overthink DJT, it is not worth it.
This is the result of poachers.
Not Dentists paying $50k for a Trophy Hunt.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
If the species commits suicide by anthropomorphic climate change, while all the while waging war when the commandment was given "Thou shalt not kill" and when Jesus said "let ye who has not sinned cast the first stone" when questioned on punishment, how can anyone have faith they are going to heaven?. Because that whore was admonished "go and sin no more." Yet those who claim allegiance to the faiths cannot seem to comprehend their corruption of justice. While there isn't peace no one's getting saved and real people will continue to burn in fire. Logic does not seem to be religions strong point.
All these attempts to hasten the demise of the world as we know it in the name of... I don't really know what... are so utterly contemptuous that I sometimes wonder if they aren't just bold faced crimes against humanity. I believe history will regard them as such.
Never mind the environment, and the endangered species.. the last thing we need is more petrochemical production! Especially while we allow the rest of my world (abroad) to claim the control of alternative energy. It's time for Big Oil to realize that the party is over, and they need to stake a claim in the new world before they get hauled away for public disturbance. Or get a figurative ASBO.
I live in a different world. One that has a future, if the other world's inhabitants don't destroy it first. It's actually painful to watch.
from an anti-science administration is going to end exactly the way you think. And no, it's not inappropriate to call them anti-science. They're climate change deniers for Pete's sake. Trump called it a Chinese hoax. And don't get me started on their flagrant disregard for hard data in economics. That tax cut of theirs was the exact wrong thing to do. The Treasury is currently bumping interest rates and inflation to reign the effects of it in.
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Know what provides more protection than hunting and privatization? Hunting and privatization, plus endangered species laws.
And it's kind of crazy how so many libertarians don't understand that some of us really aren't as obsessed with money as they are.
The definition of which is 'intentionally ignorant'.
I dislike so many things about both the Republicans and the Democrats. The Rupukelicans just make me sick, with ugly ,disingenuous and downright dangerous responses to environmental issues, utter lack of love when it comes to desperate people trying to escape the country they live in and total disregard for the what's actually good for the bulk of the people living in the middle classes. In general I like the Deamoncrats less because they undermine true human freedom at every turn , from centralizing control, to promoting an environment where people use each other ,especially vulnerable women and children on a sexual level and promoting the killing of children.
Any body else want a law making it illegal to create a entity that has as it's purpose getting people elected unless it is associated with a specific candidate and is disencorporated at the end of the campaign? ( I know fat chance of getting it passed, but it's on my list of wouldn't it be nice).
âoeTolerance applies only to persons, but never to truth. Intolerance applies only to truth, but never to persons.
I hope you Americans are going to enjoy the shithole of a country as envisioned by the Republicans and implemented by Trump the Idiot.
Deregulation like this isn't going to make your country better, just make rich assholes even richer.
Haven't you all heard? The Earth is only 6000 years old, and why should any of you silly people care about some dumb animals anyway? God gave them and the Earth to us to do with as we please, and the Apocalypse and the Rapture and shit is all coming Real Soon Now, so Zombie Jesus will return from the dead a second time to take the Faithful home, so the Earth, it's environment, and all living things on it that aren't humans won't matter! So FUCK 'endangered species', we all need to just make as much money as we can while we can so we can weather the Apocalypse and the Rapture, keep ourselves and our families safe from the ravening hoardes of Unbelievers, so that when Zombie Jesus shows up we can pull up in our armored personnel carriers, all ready for Him to take us back to Heaven! Haven't any of you been paying attention?
You think I'm kidding. You think I'm making this shit up. These idiots are REAL, they really believe in the Second Coming, they really believe the Earth is going to be destroyed anyway, and by itself you could dismiss them as nutjobs, but they have accumulated wealth and socio-political power, and they'll use it to hurry along the Apocalypse, because they actually believe that'll trigger the Second Coming, so they can bug out and be taken back to Heaven, or whatever the fuck it is they think they're getting out of it -- and they don't give a shit about us plebian average people, only them and their own people, and silly nonsense like 'endangered species' is just a drain on their profit-making ability.
Too valuable to snort.
They make them into cups, which somehow are supposed to infuse the drinks with boners.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Baseless my ass.
I have still not heard a reasonable, non-corrupt explanation for why the bribe flow into the Clinton global fund dried up just when Hillary had time for her charitable work. Do you have one? If you don't, you need to accept that she _was_ 'openly and notoriously corrupt'.
It's possible that an honest person could have believed what you say, until the day after Trump won and all the brides going to Clinton went away.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Because the alternative was even worse!
I must have missed where Hillary was the only other person on the ballot.....
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
Who else was electable?
Living in CA my vote was wasted anyhow, so I did vote for the best of the available choices, Vermin Supreme!
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Because "everything is political" and /. editors are pushing left-wing politics all the time.
This is a science and technology oriented website. The current Republican party has been pushing many anti-science and anti-environmentalism agendas. Perhaps you should stick with Faux News, if all you want to hear is how killing off the last of a species is going to create tons of jobs and put 'merica back on the path to WINNING.
---
DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
This is the result of poachers.
Not Dentists paying $50k for a Trophy Hunt.
Indeed. I believe BBC did a study after some outrage issue and found that much of the conservation money comes from those dentists and other great white hunters. Also, that $50k is just for the license for that one animal. That doesn't include all the other costs the host country typically requires like hiring guides, rangers, gun holders, etc. Even then, the creatures they hunt are usually the ones that need to be culled anyway.
Not if you bring in creimer.
I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
If God had wanted you to be an ignorant Fundamentalist, he wouldn't have given me the ability to knock you in the fucking head with a copy of the Old Testament. ;)
No, the Ten Commandment, original stone copy :-}
ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
...not if you bring in creimer.
I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
I'm looking at the bigger picture. Species go extinct, new ones come into existence. I realize humans have had way too much impact on the extinction side of things.
The narrow view is looking at a few species of animals to decide what can be done with the land. My big picture view is "why the fuck do we keep allowing corporations to pollute the environment to make a quick dollar?"
I hate that Republicans only care about "right now" and not about those of us that plan to live another 40-50 years.
"Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
Im witnessing a massive deer overpopulation spawn despite a strong hunting culture in my state. Should we let them die of old age while they grow so prolific that people can hardly drive around without hitting them? Should we ramp up the hunting season? Should we introduce wolves or some other predator? There are literally 10 deer in every field every evening...it is crazy. It looks like we are farming them.
I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
Yes, the problem with the sport-hunting argument isn't so much that it's ineffective. It certainly can be effective in the right circumstances. It's a useful tool. The problem is the idea that this is the *only* viable approach, a lot of proponents of sport-hunting environmentalism treat it as though it's the only kind of environmentalism.
This is filthy business, greedy, fat monsters who obviously have NO conscience and could care less about the world they leave for their kids & grandkids ! May the Gods shit on each and everyone of them for eternity.
Indeed. I believe BBC did a study after some outrage issue and found that much of the conservation money comes from those dentists and other great white hunters. Also, that $50k is just for the license for that one animal. That doesn't include all the other costs the host country typically requires like hiring guides, rangers, gun holders, etc. Even then, the creatures they hunt are usually the ones that need to be culled anyway.
In Africa it comes down to people or animals and if the animals have no economic value because of hunting restrictions, then there is no reason to conserve them.
Or would tourists be willing to pay $50,000 for authorization to *photograph* an animal?
I'm a biology nerd. This is news that matters to me.
Good. So talk about it. Talk about how Greenpeace pulls bullshit to put things on the endangered list by looking for animals where they don't go because of altitude or other factors. Talk about the abuses of the other "environmentalist" groups that are just out there to make money for themselves by duping stupid California people.
Now let's talk about how the last administration would fine oil companies for killed eagles, yet not a dime for a fine if a windmill killed an eagle or anything else.
(Sound of impatient foot taping)