Endangered Species Act Overhaul

 

Op-Ed: Newsom Must Stand Up To Trump Assault On The Delta And California’s Endangered Species. According to CalMatters, “A recent United Nations report concluded that ‘nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely.’ It’s not a surprise that President Donald Trump’s administration is worsening this crisis, particularly in California. Trump Administration actions in California combine active hostility, a disdain for science, and anti-environmental policies. That anti-California agenda was on full display in October, when the Trump Administration released politically manipulated ‘biological opinions’ under the federal Endangered Species Act that dramatically weaken protections for the Bay-Delta, endangered fish species and commercially valuable salmon runs. Given Gov. Gavin Newsom’s track record defending clean air, climate policies, and our coastline from offshore drilling, one would assume that the Newsom Administration would stand up to this latest federal attack. However, in an uncharacteristically subdued response, the Newsom Administration stated that it ‘will evaluate the federal government’s proposal, but will continue to push back if it does not reflect our values.’ California is prosperous, innovative and famously protective of our natural resources. We value the fact that we are one of the most biologically diverse states. We value our iconic salmon fishing industry. We value the Bay Delta as the largest estuary on the West Coast – a place critical for the survival of millions of fish and birds.” [CalMatters, 11/5/19 (+)]

 

Wildlife

 

Study: Climate Change And Drought Killing Off Mojave Desert Birds. According to Las Vegas Sun, “Shrinking water resources due to climate change are driving major declines in Mojave Desert bird populations, according to a new study from researchers at University of California, Berkeley. Spanning 48,000 square miles in Southern Nevada, southeastern California and northwest Arizona, the Mojave Desert has been receiving less and less rainfall over the last century because of climate change, the study notes. Bird populations in the region have also been decreasing, but the exact connection between those trends was not previously clear to scientists, said Steve Beissinger, co-author of the study. By simulating how much water 50 common Mojave birds need to cool off during the hottest hours of the day, Beissinger’s research team found that access to sufficient water resources for cooling purposes greatly impacts birds’ survival rates. As the climate gets hotter and dryer, birds will need more water to keep cool. ‘That’s kind of a fundamental finding that was really interesting, because most of the time, we haven’t been able to find a direct, physiological link between climate change and declines of species,’ said Beissinger, a professor of ecology and conservation biology at UC Berkeley.” [Las Vegas Sun, 11/6/19 (=)]

 

Pythons Capture Ramps Up Amid Everglades Damage. According to E&E News, “Florida officials and private citizens have captured thousands of Burmese pythons in the state — but only after the snake killed nearly 100% of some species native to the Everglades. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) tweeted yesterday that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) ‘removed its 1,000th Burmese python from the Everglades,’ bringing the total to more than 3,000 pythons captured statewide. ‘This is a significant number of snakes to be removed from the Everglades ecosystem,’ said FWC spokesperson Carli Segelson in an email to E&E News. ‘Each individual snake removed is one less python preying on Florida’s native wildlife.’ In 2017, the FWC and the South Florida Water Management District implemented python elimination programs to combat the snakes’ negative impact in the Everglades. The FWC’s Python Action Team currently has 39 members who trap the snakes year-round. Last month, the FWC’s Python Action Team caught their largest snake ever — an 18-foot, 4-inch-long female python that weighed 98 pounds, 10 ounces. Capturing female pythons is particularly critical, since the snake produces 30 to 60 hatchlings when breeding, according to FWC’s website (Greenwire, Oct. 7). ‘The removal of more than 3,600 pythons by FWC and the South Florida Water Management District is an important milestone in this fight and demonstrates that our policies are working,’ DeSantis said in a press release yesterday. ‘Together, we will continue to build on this success and do all we can to preserve and restore our environment.’” [E&E News, 11/5/19 (=)]

 

 

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