Trump administration weakens U.S. wildlife protections over objections of conservationists

Reuters ^ | 8/12/2019 | Valerie Volcavici

[1Old Pro]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Monday finalized changes to provisions of the U.S. Endangered Species Act it says will streamline the decades-old wildlife protection law but which conservation groups say will threaten at-risk species.

[1Old Pro]

Here's the good (sane) news: The changes would end a practice that automatically conveys the same protections for threatened species as for endangered species, and would strike language that guides officials to ignore economic impacts of how animals should be safeguarded. The original Act protected species regardless of the economics of the area protected.

[Paladin2]

What will Slick do if wildlife is now at risk?

[DIRTYSECRET]

The snail darter and the delta smelt will object.

[lurk]

This protection of threatened and endangered species was simply a thin veil to stop development and economic activity. The spotted owl, like every other bird of prey, is able to adept to a changing environment.

[cuban leaf]

This is an important issue for me. I have a strong appetite for Spotted Owl meat. Wild caught.

[1Old Pro]

This protection of threatened and endangered species was simply a thin veil to stop development and economic activity

Yes, of course.

[faucetman]

The species that I’m most concerned about is Homo Sapiens. (NOT homos) /s

I never knew it before, but the term “homo” makes sense.

“Homo is the human genus, which also includes Neanderthals and many other extinct species of hominid”

All the “REAL” homos went extinct because they could not procreate. Only the “Bi” homos could procreate.

/YUGE SARC TAG, because I believe being homo is a CHOICE. No, you weren’t BORN that way!

[momincombatboots]

I refuse to post the thought that entered my head when I read your post.
Do you have a recipe to share? Thanks.

[G Larry]

For over 40 years enviro-whackos have INVENTED "species" with the specific objective of BLOCKING DEVELOPMENT.

This move is to stop this long abuse.

[SpaceBar]

If you click on Drudge it’s clear that Donald Trump is killing cute-as-buttons baby owls.

[1Old Pro]

If you click on Drudge it’s clear that Donald Trump is killing cute-as-buttons baby owls.

No thanks, I avoid DRUDGE.

[KierkegaardMAN]

And DJT is making killing in utero human species more difficult as well but the Dems thirst for the blood of in
innocents rages on in true satanic fashion.

[subterfuge]

How do the “conservationists” already know that endangered species will be threatened from “streamlining?”

[yoe]

Instead of painting the U.S. Endangered Species Act with a broad brush....locals can protect their local habitats by state....

[Richard Kimball]

Agreed. I've also suspected for a while that it was used to make areas indefensible during wildfire season. California outlawed the cutting of dead brush and the creation of fire breaks, along with prohibiting people from clearing scrub around their houses.

I ran the public education section of a large fire department in the 80s, and at that time, the National Forest Service was in the process of de-emphasizing Smokey Bear and making Woodsy Owl the face of the organization because modern techniques had gotten wildfires under control.

One of the first instances of prohibiting modern wildland management was to protect the kangaroo rat. Claims were that cutting fire breaks would destroy it's natural habitat. They ignored the fact that the burning of millions of acres would also destroy the habitat. The rat was a prop.

While I'm ranting, many environmental groups are primarily funded by large corporations. Chemicals seem to suddenly become dangerous when the patent runs out and the major corps can't exclusively manufacture them. R12 refrigerant is a prime example.

[Don Corleone]

The only really at risk species are conservative Republicans. Swamp fever will kill them all.

[USS Alaska]

The changes would end a practice that automatically conveys the same protections for threatened species as for endangered species, and would strike language that guides officials to ignore economic impacts of how animals should be safeguarded.

Great. Automatically equated threatened to endangered species. That meant that any time a greenie raised a question, the species was treated as endangered and all commercial activity stopped.

This was a big time abuse of EPA rules and regulations. Glad it is over.

[1Old Pro]

How do the “conservationists” already know that endangered species will be threatened from “streamlining?”

They don't, that's the author's "license" to report fake news.

[Mr. K]

If you spit in your driveway the government will call it a ‘navigable waterway’ and bar you from using it to ‘protect the environment’.

Yes, some of these laws NEED to change...

[1Old Pro]

Great. Automatically equated threatened to endangered species. That meant that any time a greenie raised a question, the species was treated as endangered and all commercial activity stopped. This was a big time abuse of EPA rules and regulations

Exactly, legal abuse, UGH. I'll bet there are thousands of these ridiculous regulations.