Bid to open the Farallones draws a warning

[davidinalameda]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/17/MNG1IBCSV41.DTL

A measure by two leading House lawmakers to open the Farallon Islands to limited public visits is raising concerns among marine biologists who fear that a greater human presence could harm one of the largest seabird breeding colonies south of Alaska.

House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, and the top Democrat on the committee have introduced a bill that would direct the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer special permits to visit the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge in response to requests from amateur radio operators who enjoy broadcasting from remote islands.

But scientists who study seabirds and other species on the islands 28 miles off the coast of San Francisco -- which some call "California's Galapagos" -- said even limited public visits could have serious effects on populations of birds and marine mammals that have rebounded since access to the islands by humans was strictly limited in 1969.

[fairfaxvadem]

1. I hope this bill doesn't pass.

Is nothing sacred from the trampling of Nikes and Tevas?

[mitchtv]

2. for amateur radio operators?

WTF?Pombo should be horsewhipped- who is the top Dem on the committee anyway?

[davidinalameda]

3. Nick Jo Rahall--WV

he's not the brightest bulb--I used to live in his district

[mitchtv]

4. probably resents Calif

all those gays and all

[jamesinca]

5. Pombo is very anti-environment

He had a screed on his website about the need to get rid of the endangered species act because it is only postponing the inevitable. Devin Nunes (R) 21st district had a link to that page, so Nunes I can only assume is anti environment. I am going to go look for the link, and I will be back with the edit.

On edit: Can't find his report on why the environment is bad, but I did find this.
http://www.votepomboout.com/issues/ESA/ESA.htm