Lautenberg bill passes Senate Committee

[PYoungbaer]

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ's bill creating authority for the Secretary of the Interior to declare a wildlife emergency has passed the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee. Here's a link to the press release from Sen. Lautenberg: http://www.lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=337330&.

The Bill number is S. 357.

[tncaver]

That bill could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing, depending on how it is carried out and the scope of it's authority.

[trogman]

That bill could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing, depending on how it is carried out and the scope of it's authority.

I really can't think of any good in it. This amount of power in the hands of one person is not good, and it circumvents our governmental system of checks and balances.

Sometimes bad things such as this might be used for good purposes, but that doesn't ultimately justify them.

tncaver-knowing how you feel about big government, I'm rather surprised you didn't jump on this one with both feet!

Trogman

[tncaver]

Here are a couple quotes from the proposed bill:
“To fight devastating wildlife diseases like white-nose syndrome, federal and state agencies, scientists, and other groups need a coordinated plan—and that’s what this legislation will help them develop,” Lautenberg said.

"Lautenberg’s bill would provide the Secretary of the Interior with the authority to declare wildlife disease emergencies, establish a dedicated Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund to understand and address disease emergencies, and provide for a coordinated response across state and federal agencies".

Perhaps you are right trogman. Past experiences indicate to me that most politicians and/or Federal office holders are not adequately knowledgeable about any specific situation to determine or take action regarding whether a wildlife situation is an emergency or to what extent action should be taken. That is what scientists, state and federal agency members and other groups are more likely to determine due to hands on knowledge in the field. Frankly, I think the USFWS reaction was reasonable at first, but as it has continued unchanged over years, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps no gov't agency is capable of making wise decisions regarding such issues. Like I said, it could be a good thing or it could be a very bad thing. We also already have the Center for Disease Control, which is probably more capable of determining any kind of emergency and the EPA who already have authority to do all kinds of things. Why muddle things up with yet another individual gov't official who could make hasty decisions? Also, when it comes time to fund anything, that is Congress's job.

That bill could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing, depending on how it is carried out and the scope of it's authority.

I really can't think of any good in it. This amount of power in the hands of one person is not good, and it circumvents our governmental system of checks and balances.

Sometimes bad things such as this might be used for good purposes, but that doesn't ultimately justify them.

tncaver-knowing how you feel about big government, I'm rather surprised you didn't jump on this one with both feet!

Trogman

[wyandottecaver]

be afraid, VERY afraid.

Notice there is no mention of how ANY of this will actually result in a tangible, deliverable result on the ground. In terms of WNS, how many bats will this help?

PLEASE do write your Senators and beg them to kill this power-grab.

People can't "help" WNS, even the Secretery. I know all the good things this Bill says it will do. But we just have to look at history to know what it will do...add another cog in the Government machine and erode the power of the People.

[submassabielle]

So would this give the federal gov't the ability to force a common WNS policy on everyone, including private cave owners? I have found, in my limited experience, that there are policy variations even from one national park to another. Some policies (not necessarily National Park policies) seem excessively strict, but others are very balanced. The WNS situation varies from place to place. I do hope that this will not open the way to making everyone take the hard-line.

[tncaver]

So would this give the federal gov't the ability to force a common WNS policy on everyone, including private cave owners? I have found, in my limited experience, that there are policy variations even from one national park to another. Some policies (not necessarily National Park policies) seem excessively strict, but others are very balanced. The WNS situation varies from place to place. I do hope that this will not open the way to making everyone take the hard-line.

Good question. Maybe it's time for a revolution.