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NFC: Relocating endangered species pondered by developers
From the Kentucky Resources Council & Cumberland Chapter Sierra Club.
IMPERILED FISH FACE EVICTION NOTICE: Hello, There is an attempt being
made in Kentucky to circumvent the Endangered Species Act by
transplanting an endangered fish in advance of a mining operation that
will destroy its habitat. Moving the federally listed fish, blackside
dace, out of the way of the strip mine will supposedly be the way that
this fish will be "protected". Newspaper reports indicate that the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to this plan. This issue is of
importance for two reasons:
1. This may set a bad precedent: From now on, developers all over the
U.S. might petition to move endangered species out of the way whenever
these species get in the way of their activities-which clearly will
weaken ESA.
2. The Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald Leader both
report that the Fish and Wildlife Service was pressured by "several
calls from the office of Senator Jim Bunning." This is a clear example
of how developers are getting around environmental regulations by
asking influential politicians to pressure government agencies. More
information about this is available in the newspaper articles that
reported this issue:
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2002/01/10/ke011002s136093.htm
.
http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/heraldleader/news/011302/editorialdocs/0
113bush-edit.htm .
In Kentucky, we are exploring legal strategies to stop this process and
are also trying to publicize the issue. I am sending this note to you
hoping that your organization will get involved in this issue. Please
use the contacts below:
Tom FitzGerald, Environmental Attorney, Kentucky Resources Council;
PO Box 1070; Frankfort, KY 40602; Phone (502)875-2428; Fax (502)875-
2845;
e-mail: FitzKRC at aol_com ; website http://www.kyrc.org .
or
Ramesh Bhatt
Sierra Club Cumberland (Kentucky) Chapter Executive Committee member;
1000 Rain Court; Lexington, KY 40515; Phone: (859) 245-6254;
e-mail: rbhatt at prodigy_net .
Robert Rice
NFC president
www.nativefish.org
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