Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3819 Aug 30-Sep 13 | Page 28

26 Aug 30 - Sept 13, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 19 Salmon Advocates Slam Federal Rules to Slash Endangered Species Protections T he federal government on August 13 announced that it was adopting new rules to slash protections for endan- gered species under the Endangered Species Act, one of the nation’s landmark environmental laws, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973. The new rules make it easier to remove a species such as the Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon from the endangered species list and weaken protections for “threatened” species such as Central Valley steelhead. The ESA defines a threatened species as “any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foresee- able future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” These rules are the result of intense lobbying by agribusiness, the oil and gas industries, mining companies, developers and other corporate interests to remove protections for endangered species — and part of a larger push by big corporations to eliminate any regulatory constraints plundering the environment in search of higher and higher profits, according to environmental advocates. “Overall, the new rules would very likely clear the way for new mining, oil and gas drilling, and development in areas where protected species live,” the New York Times reported on August 12: U.S. Significantly Weakens Endangered Species Act. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt claimed that the new rules are “improvements” to the implementation of ESA regulations designed “to increase transparency and effectiveness and bring the administration of the Act into the 21st century.” “The best way to uphold the Endangered Species Act is to do everything we can to ensure it remains effective in achieving its ultimate goal—recovery of our rarest species. The Act’s effectiveness rests on clear, consistent and efficient implementa- tion,” said Secretary Bernhardt, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to his post after many years serving as a lobbyist for the Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the country, and the oil industry. “An effectively administered Act ensures more resources can go where they will do the most good: on-the-ground conservation.” The changes finalized by Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Depart- ment of Commerce’s National Marine Fisheries Service apply to ESA sections 4 and 7. Section 4, among other things, deals with adding species to or removing species from the Act’s protections and designating critical habitat, while section 7 covers consultations with other federal agencies, according to Interior. Environmental advocates disagree strongly with Interior’s contention that the regulations are designed to “increase transparency and effectiveness,” coun- tering that regula- tion changes would instead greatly *Trolling weaken federal Motors efforts to protect and restore fish, animals *Fishfinders and plants threatened *GPS with extinction. *VHF ”These changes, Radios which seek to evis- *Radar cerate the ESA, go *Batteries against Congress’ and explicit mandate that Chargers management rely on the best available ONE DAY SERVICE Largest Service science and actively on Installations with appointment Center protect and restore in the West! plants and animals deeply vulnerable to extinction,” according to a statement from Western Environ- mental Law Center. “With this action, the administration will allow politics and money to influence do-or-die decision making on issues of endangered species recovery or decline on a scale never before seen in the history of this fundamental and necessary law.” In addition, the 100 Rounds changes will allow Sporting Clays Only $35 the federal govern- 1000 Rounds ment to ignore Sporting Clays Only $320 extinction threats from climate change Company or Corporate shoots “at the precise available at reasonable prices! moment we’re Pheasant Season Open On Sept. 21st, witnessing the most So Book Early For Best Dates And Rates! dire ecosystem-wide shifts and extinction 45 Miles North events in world of Sacramento www.lincraahauges.com • traahauge@yahoo.com history,” the Center Marine Electronics Sales • Service • Installation Electric Marine Sunny’s (916) 487-3868 Pheasant, Chukar and Sporting Clays At Its Finest • 3 PHEASANTS FOR ...$92 • 8 CHUKARS FOR.......$154 3 Pheasants & • 12 PHEASANTS FOR $336 100 Sporting Clays • 3 PHEASANTS + 4 CHUKARS $125 FOR $164 17 Station Sporting Clay Course! (530) 724-0552 By Dan Bacher said. to extinction. The fall of 2018 saw a This move would have a huge impact new record low number of Delta smelt on winter Chinook salmon, Delta smelt, — zero — in the California Department longfin smelt, green sturgeon and other of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) midwater California fish species that have declined trawl survey. This trend has continued in dramatically in recent years, due to the spring Delta smelt 20-mm surveys massive exports of Northern California conducted this year and last year, with a water to corporate agribusiness interests record low number of the smelt collected on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley by Department scientists. (http://www. and Southern California water agencies. wildlife.ca.gov/ The Trump administration will make a The Delta smelt was once the most bad situation even worse than it is now, abundant fish on the entire Sacramen- according to fishing groups and environ- to-San Joaquin Delta, numbering in the mental organizations. millions. However, massive water exports “Here in California we’re likely to see by the State Water Project and the federal salmon, sturgeon, steelhead trout, wolves, Central Valley Project to agribusiness wolverines, kit fox and many others interests, combined with declining water all slide towards extinction as a result quality and the impact of upstream dam of today’s action by the Trump White operations, have put the fish on the brink House,” said John McManus, Executive of extinction under the Jerry Brown and Director of the Golden Gate Salmon Asso- Gavin Newsom administrations. ciation. “It’s clear that the Trump adminis- The attack on the Endangered Species tration actions are aimed at helping devel- Act by the Trump administration also opers, large agribusinesses, multi-national comes as the Newsom administration mining companies and others profit at the continues to move forward with planning expense of our natural areas and wildlife. for the controversial Delta Tunnel. Despite This will hurt the people of California the fact that the new Delta Tunnel project who rely on healthy natural resources to supported by Governor Gavin Newsom make a living, including salmon fishermen has not been approved, the Depart- and women.” ment of Water Resources is proceeding “There is an effort underway to reduce forward with negotiations with its water lands we Americans hold in common, like contractors over the State Water Contract the SF Bay-Delta, to resource extraction Amendment for the Delta Conveyance. sites,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, After the public comment period at the Executive Director of Restore the Delta. first negotiating meeting on the Delta ‘We need assurances from the Newsom Tunnel between DWR and the state water Administration that protecting Delta contractors in Sacramento on July 4, fisheries & 700 native species will be a Caleeen Sisk, Chief of the Winnemem bigger priority for California Water policy Wintu Tribe, told me about the Tribe’s than ever. The people of the Delta look continued opposition to the Delta Tunnels. to the leaders of California to do the right “Our belief is that Mother Earth made thing.” the Delta the way it is because it is a fully California Attorney General Xavier functional and perfect system. By digging Becerra and Massachusetts Attorney the Delta up, we don’t know how it will General Maura Healey also responded to end up. You don’t want to ruin a perfect the announcement by the Trump Admin- system for an imperfect project. You can’t istration of its final rule rolling back key negotiate a perfect system. Once we dig provisions of the Endangered Species Act, up the Delta, you can’t return it to its vowing to take legal action against the natural state,” stated Chief Sisk. rule. The Save California Salmon organiza- “As we face the unprecedented threat of tion also does not support the new one a climate emergency, now is the time to tunnel plan. “We have pumped enough strengthen our planet’s biodiversity, not to water from our rivers and Delta,” said destroy it,” said Attorney General Becerra. Regina Chichizola of Save California “Our precious wildlife and ecosystems Salmon. “We cannot afford to take more are in critical danger. By rolling back the water, while our fisheries are in crisis. “ Endangered Species Act the Trump Administration would be putting a nail in our coffin – all for the sake of boosting the profits We carry Lead Free Pistol ammo for of those putting these species at risk the hunter who wants to carry his in the first place. handgun in Lead Free Hunting Zones. 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