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Congress is on recess until April 12, 1999
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American Rivers Looks to Increase Federal Dollars for River Programs:
American Rivers is seeking sign-on support for testimony aimed at increasing federal funding in FY'00 for a number of important local and national river-related programs. American Rivers will use the testimony and list of sign-on organizations to convince Congress to provide these initiatives with the funds they need to preserve and protect rivers across the nation. Among the programs the testimony seeks increased funding for are the Natural Resource Conservation Service, habitat restoration programs under the US Army Corps of Engineers, and a number of Department of Interior programs, including the Partnership for Fish and Wildlife, RTCA, and the Appalachian Clean Stream Initiative.
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House and Senate Pass Budget Resolutions:
Before leaving for April recess, the House and Senate passed FY'00 Budget Resolutions (S. Con. Res. 20 and H. Con. Res. 68) that would slash funding for environmental and natural resource protection. Both Resolutions seek to cut funding drastically for the environment and natural resource programs to levels that would result in fewer toxic waste cleanups, a reduction in public lands and wildlife stewardship, less effective energy and pollution control programs, and missed opportunities to protect open space. The Senate Budget Resolution would cut funding for the environment and natural resources programs from the FY99 level of $23.3 billion to $21.7 billion in FY'00. The House Budget Resolution proposes funding at the slightly higher amount of $22 billion in FY'00. The House and Senate will now go to conference to produce a final FY'00 Budget Resolution.
To voice your opposition to slashing funding for important environmental and natural resource programs, call, write or visit members of the House and Senate Budget Committees. Urge them to produce a Budget Resolution from conference that:
Funds natural resources and the environment at $23.8 billion for FY'00, the minimum federal agencies affected by the cuts have requested; and Keeps the Senate adopted deficit-neutral reserve fund for use of Outer Continental Shelf receipts added to the Senate Budget Resolution. This fund is a key part of anticipated legislation to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and related programs that expand protection for historic preservation, wildlife and wildlife habitat, and coastal and ocean environments.
Action on the Budget Resolution could happen as soon as April 12.
For members of the House Budget Committee, visit the committee webpage at http://www.house.gov/budget/bios/members.htm
For members of the Senate Budget Committee, visit the committee webpage at Most members can be contacted directly through the webpages above. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New American Rivers to Release Most Endangered Rivers Report of 1999 American Rivers will release its fourteenth annual report, America's Most Endangered Rivers of 1999, on Monday, April 12th. The report ranks the ten most endangered rivers in the country facing the most serious and immediate environmental abuses this year. Ten rivers in the following states will be listed this year as the nation's most endangered: Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Press conferences will be held in Washington, DC and at various locations around the country on April 12. For more information, contact Amy Souers or Suzy McDowell at 202-347-7550. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New Representative Young Schedules Hearing on ESA Takings Bill: On April 14, Representative Don Young (R-AK), Chair of the House Resources Committee, will hold a hearing on his Endangered Species Act (ESA) bill, H.R. 1142. Representative Young's "Landowners Equal Treatment Act of 1999" would amend the ESA to "require compensation for landowners that lose use of property." The bill is similar in content to the failed 1995-96 Contract with American ESA and wetlands takings bill that generated partisan opposition, a Presidential veto threat, and strong opposition from a wide range of national religious, taxpayer, conservation, and labor groups. H.R. 1142 would require agencies to make every possible effort to "avoid, minimize, or mitigate" even extremely minor impacts on property and would prohibit a wide variety of emergency actions essential to saving species unless and until federal agencies have "given 30 days notice to each of the property directly affected." Unfortunately, hearings have not yet been scheduled on a bill introduced by Representative George Miller (D-CA) that would strengthen the species protection act. Miller's Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1999 (H.R. 960) would amend the ESA of 1973 to ensure the recovery of our Nation's declining biological diversity, reaffirm and strengthen commitment to protect wildlife, safeguard the nation's economic and ecological future, and provide assurances to local governments, communities, and individuals in their planning and economic development efforts. To see the text of these two bills, visit the Thomas webpage at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas2.html and enter the bill numbers. To contact your member of Congress in support of H.R. 960 and against H.R. 1142, please visit the action alert section of the Endangered Species Coalition webpage at www.stopextinction.org. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New On Wednesday April 7, Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) and Representative Norm Dicks (D-WA) will co-host a Puget Sound Salmon Recovery hearing at the SeaTac Airport Auditorium. The hearing will feature testimony from a number of local, state, federal, and tribal officials on how to recover Puget Sound salmon runs and the cost of doing so. Unfortunately, the hearing promises to be very unbalanced. Out of 24 people slated to testify, only one represents the environmental community while the vast majority will represent the views of industry. In addition to failing to give sufficient voice to environmental groups, the hearing will also focus on recovery options for salmon stocks in eastern Washington State, largely ignoring the fate of salmon runs in river systems such as the Columbia/Snake in western Washington. The hearing will be in room 6011 on the Mezzanine level at 10:30 a.m. Back to top or back to home page or back to Whats New American Rivers, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005, (202) 347-7550 CHECK OUT OUR HOMEPAGE!! http://www.amrivers.org
ENDANGERED RIVERS
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Salmon Hearings in Washington and Oregon:
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