Bush Admin. Cuts Protection For Thousands Of MIles Of Salmon Streams

[hatrack]

And of course, it happened on a Friday . . .

The Bush administration on Friday scaled back protection of thousands of miles of rivers across the Northwest and California previously designated as important to protected salmon runs. The government said the new rules are more "cost-effective" and -- despite what environmentalists say -- show that the National Marine Fisheries Service is "reaffirming its commitment to salmon recovery."

Among the areas losing protection as "critical habitat" are waterways on military bases and Indian-controlled lands. The same goes for three Washington timber operations with so-called habitat conservation plans -- which allow killing and harming endangered species in exchange for taking certain actions to help the ones that survive.

Sitting in his boat fishing for salmon in Elliott Bay on Friday, retired Boeing manager Bob Johnson said he was convinced after studying the idea that it will mean fewer fish spawning upstream -- and fewer for him to catch here in the future. "We're trying to get fish back -- get them back to areas they used historically," Johnson said, gazing at the massive orange gantry cranes that lord over Harbor Island. "The steps the Bush administration is taking are in the opposite direction. It just doesn't make sense to cut back on the habitat right now."

The Bush administration said its approach basically amounts to this: Instead of laying the "critical habitat" label on waterways across the historic range of salmon protected under the Endangered Species Act, only sections of waterways actually used by the fish today will get that designation. "I think it's very consistent with saying we intend to apply the (Endangered Species) Act to assure recovery" of the imperiled salmon, said Bob Lohn, regional director of the Fisheries Service. Russell Brooks of the Pacific Legal Foundation, which fights in court for property owners' rights, said his group is pleased that the Bush administration limited the areas designated as "critical habitat." "It's sure a lot better than the old rule that was invalidated," said Brooks, whose group intervened in a lawsuit by the National Association of Home Builders that forced the pullback. "Now we're looking to make sure they've identified all the appropriate economic impacts" of the remaining protected areas.

EDIT

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/236475_salmon13.html

[ChiciB1]

1. There Was A Great Program That FSTV Aired Recently About

just how endangered the Salmon have become. While they focused mostly on the damage caused by dams, they covered the subject of just how much environmental damage is being done.

I can't recall the name of the program, but I made my husband sit down a watch it because he's a big fisherman. There was one person, an Indian from a local tribe in the area who was actually scooping up salmon and walking them about 50 yards away and dumping them above the dam so they could spawn. He said he could be arrested for doing this, but it was more important for him to save the salmon so he will keep doing it.

The "BUSHIES" with their Clear Skies Initiative, etc. are absolute clueless about Environmental Protection! They've fuzzed up so many of these issue by the WAY THEY WORD proposals to make them sound like they are doing something to help. In fact, when you read the fine print, regulations have been relaxed and done away with in some cases. Since I'm a boomer, perhaps I won't be around to see the massive decline, but I do have kids and grand-kids and it's such a SHAME!!!

[Vogon_Glory]

2. If These Streams Were Cattle Ranges, There'd Be Hell To Pay

If the Bushies treated cattle ranges like they treat salmon streams, even the red state ranchers who voted for him would turn their backs on the GOP for generations to come.