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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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