I do not agree with the…

I do not agree with the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. If anything, I believe the Act should be STRENGTHENED in order to protect the biodiversity of our natural environment. A good majority of this is due to loss of habitat due to our insistence on urban sprawl.

In particular,
- membership of COSSARO should not be broadened to include those with 'community knowledge' as they may have a different agenda.
- there should be NO payments into a fund to disregard the Act and no issuing of permits to circumvent the Act.
- there should be no limit to the Act based on a specific geography or under special cirsumstances. The population of an endangered species needs to be protected everywhere. If we only have one geographic location where that species is plentiful, the species is still at risk. Especially if that one area affords no protection.
- suspending species and habitat protections based on social and economic considerations is very short-sighted. The costs associated with the loss of biodiversity are not just monetary. Biodiversity is the key to our survival as a species. There have been many examples in recent years when one particular crop/tree/plant is attacked by a disease or pest to a point of destroying a good portion of them. Having additional species of plants allows us to substitute until such time as our food crop has recovered, if it does. For example, pine beetle, emerald ash borer, dutch elm disease. What if crops of wheat, corn and soy were hit with something?
- the listing, planning and reporting of species at risk needs to be done in a shorter time frame. In order to do this, the process will need to be made more efficient. It currently takes a significant amount of time to add species to this list and during that time, their numbers are dwindling.