To: Members of Congress
I am writing to express extreme dismay at this administration’s attack on wildlife protections. America’s unique wildlife plays an essential part in our nation’s culture, economy, and ecosystems.
However, the actions taken by this administration show a clear disregard for the protection of wildlife across the country:
- For the first time in three decades, the Endangered Species Committee, colloquially known as the “God Squad” voted to exempt oil and gas companies in the Gulf of Mexico from complying with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a move that will likely drive the Rice’s Whale and other species to extinction.
- The administration eliminated public participation requirements for decisions related to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s wildlife killing programs and environmental reviews for logging, mining, drilling, and roadbuilding projects in national forests.
- The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) solicitor opened the door for companies to once again kill migratory birds without liability, despite a 2020 federal court ruling.
- The DOI has proposed lifting a ban on bear baiting by hunters in federal preserves in Alaska.
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed rescinding the current definition of “harm” in ESA regulations to exclude habitat modifications, despite habitat loss accounting for 80% of U.S. species population declines.
Extinction is forever. Yet, wildlife protections are being stripped daily under the guise of responding to manufactured emergencies. However, the true emergency is that without enforcement of wildlife protections, like the ESA, entire species will disappear.
The bald eagle, once nearly extinct, is a symbol of American pride and strength. As my elected representative, I am asking you to support the survival of wildlife, so that future generations of Americans can experience our nation’s great fauna and flora.
As former president Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”
So, I’m calling on you to speak out against attacks on endangered species and to speak up in support legislation that advances wildlife protections.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
We need you to save America’s wildlife by taking action against the widespread dismantling of wildlife protections!
Our nation’s flora and fauna are a bedrock of American culture––from the bison roaming Montana’s grasslands, to the manatees grazing in Florida’s shallow coastal waters, and the peregrine falcons soaring high in the sky.
What do all of these animals have in common? They were once at risk of becoming extinct.
The earth is currently undergoing a major extinction event. Unlike the past five mass extinctions, triggered by extreme geological events like volcanic activity and asteroid impact, human activity is driving this sixth wave. Habitat destruction, pollution, and human-driven climate change are causing species to go extinct at unprecedented rates, threatening ecosystems and all those who depend on them. And the impact is staggering. Since 1970, global wildlife populations have plummeted by approximately 70%.
Recognizing the importance of protecting wildlife, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973. Since its enactment, the law has been successful in saving hundreds of species from extinction.
Given the extinction crisis we face, now is not the time to abandon wildlife protections like the ESA. Yet, that is exactly what this administration is doing. Since taking office, the administration has swiftly proposed devastating rollbacks and exemptions to critical wildlife protection laws and regulations.
In addition to imperiling species and ecosystems, these actions threaten American families that depend on wildlife for their livelihoods, like recreational operators and farmers that depend on endangered pollinators.
An overwhelming majority of American’s support protecting threatened and endangered species. And we ask you to sign this letter urging your representative to do the same.