COEJL ACTION ALERT:

Protect the Endangered Species Act
(09/30/2005)

Behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, of the birds, of the cattle, and of every wild animal of the earth with you...
-- Genesis 9:9

Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) was able to rush his misleadingly-named bill "The Threatened and Endangered Species Reform Act of 2005," through the U.S. House of Representatives on Sep. 29, but by a much narrower margin than observers expected. The bill, which is now awaiting action by the Senate, would make it more difficult for the federal government to protect the
critical habitat areas needed for endangered animals and plants to survive. In addition, the legislation would exempt the pesticide industry from the Endangered Species Act's most important provisions. Although the passage of the legislation through the House of Representatives was a setback, at the same time, we were encouraged that some members of Congress, including Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), and Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA), spoke on the House floor of the religious and moral imperative to protect endangered species.

Now the battle moves to the U.S. Senate, which may consider a bill later this year or early in 2006. We are gearing up to meet with senators and their staffs to make our case for defending the Endangered Species Act. We also plan to mobilize Jewish community leaders, rabbis, congregations, and other Jewish institutions to get involved in the Noah Alliance campaign.
Representatives of other faiths are doing their part, too.

Jewish teaching is clear and unequivocal on the topic of species protection.

Torah does not permit a killing that would uproot a species, even if it permitted the killing [of individuals] in that species. Nachmanides (Ramban), Commentary on Deuteronomy 22:6.

Our message to Congress needs to be clear and strong. Please contact your Senators, and ask them to protect the Endangered Species Act. Let them know that, as a constituent and an active member of the Jewish community in their state, this is a priority issue for you and one that you will be following closely.

Remind your Senators that after Noah's flood, God created a covenant not only with human beings, but with all of creation. As stewards of the Earth, we must care for creation and honor that covenant.

Find your Senators' contact information here.

Background

For over thirty years, the Endangered Species Act has served as a safety net for the variety of wildlife, fish and plants that are on the brink of extinction. In that time, the Act has saved nearly 99 percent of protected species from extinction -- only 9 of the 1,800 plants and animals protected by the Act have been declared extinct. Without the Endangered Species Act, wildlife such as the bald eagle, American alligator, California condor, Florida panther and many other animals that are part of America’s natural heritage could have disappeared from the planet years ago. The Endangered Species Act works because it safeguards the places where endangered animals and plants live.

Representative Pombo’s bill will weaken the Act by doing the following:

1) Eliminating conservation measures on tens of millions of acres of land around the country, the "critical habitat" of endangered species, and prevent such conservation activities in the future. Analysis of information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a strong correlation between the conservation of critical habitat and the recovery of endangered species. Species with critical habitat are more likely to be increasing in number by a 2:1 ratio.

2) Repealing established conservation measures that prohibit the killing or injuring of hundreds of threatened species, such as the bald eagle.

3) Bankrupting public conservation programs by creating a new entitlement that requires the federal government to pay developers, the oil industry and other special interests to keep them from killing or injuring publicly-owned fish and wildlife.

4) Exempting pesticide companies from one of the Endangered Species Act’s most important provisions.