Despite the fact that the Endangered Species Act has helped protect many of America's treasured species - such as the bald eagle, the American alligator and the manatee - some members of Congress are attempting to weaken the law.

Environmental groups are urging people to defend the ESA by sending a letter to your Senators asking them to strengthen, not weaken, the role of science in endangered species management under the ESA. The Senate should consider the suggestions offered by an ad hoc coalition of scientific societies such as the American Fisheries Society, the Ecological Society of America, and others.

The Senate is developing their ESA language right now, so for more information, go to HealthyGulf.Org.

Posted by Glynn Wilson at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Artur Davis, Congressman for Birmingham and the Black Belt, is a cosponsor of a bill to gut the Endangered Species Act.

The bill really gives private owners the right do do whatever they want on their land, regardless of the danger to the species which are endangered. It is a "private property over all" bill.

"This is a deeply destructive bill," said the Rev. Jack Zylman. "Davis should be ashamed."

Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 Amends the Endangered Species Act
H.R. 3824: Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Duncan, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Flake, Mr. Fortuno, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Issa, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California, Mr. McKeon, Mrs. Musgrave, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Nunes, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Renzi, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Herger, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Kline, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Melancon, Mr. Gary G. Miller of California, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Souder, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Sherwood, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Cole of Oklahoma, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Everett, Mr. Bonner, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Davis of Alabama, Mr. Ryun of Kansas, Mr. Baker, Mr. Rogers --> of Alabama, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Osborne, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, and Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas.

To read the bill, go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:2:./temp/~c109qjq0dW::

Posted by Glynn Wilson at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Jeff Garner, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' mollusk biologist, has found several species believed to have been extinct, including a snail in the Locust Fork, a mussel in the Alabama River and a mussel in the Tennessee River, the Birmingham News reports.

Their survival may depend on the continued goodwill of Alabama Power Co., experts say.

If only more Americans realized the value of mussels and snails, which filter water, clean river bottoms and serve as food for birds, small mammals and aquatic animals.

"Those snails and mussels have a lot to do with quality of life for the people of Alabama," said Paul Freeman, a freshwater ecologist for the Nature Conservancy of Alabama.

Posted by Glynn Wilson at 01:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)