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Non-Litigation Advocacy Mangabeys Endangered Sooty
Mangabeys: We represented a coalition
of animal protection groups in an administrative proceeding before
the Fish and Wildlife Service concerning a request for a permit
by Yerkes National Primate Research Center to immediately kill 30
endangered sooty mangabeys and lethally take an additional 20 mangabeys
a year for five years under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Yerkes
applied for the permit under Section 10 of the ESA, arguing that
its contribution of funds to a purported conservation effort for
the species in the wild justified its "take" of an endangered
species for research on human disease issues and to reduce the number
of mangabeys at its facility. While the coalition supports efforts
to develop cures for human diseases, it opposed permitting research
under the ESA on a "pay-to-take" basis because such permits
violate the ESA. The coalition also demanded that the Fish and Wildlife
Service comply with NEPA before issuing any such permit. As a result
of issues raised by the coalitions' comment letter, Yerkes withdrew
its application to lethally take the endangered monkeys. "Enhancement" Regulations & Policy: We represented International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in a proceeding before the US Fish and Wildlife Service concerning proposed regulations that would vastly expand the activities the agency could permit under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the name of "enhancing" the survival of the species. The proposed rule would codify a "pay-to-take" scheme for endangered species so long as some contribution, however nominal, is paid to an in situ conservation effort. IFAW's extensive comments explain that the proposed rules would allow the removal from the wild, and even killing, of extremely imperilled species for sport hunting, the fashion industry, entertainment, exhibition, the pet trade, traditional medicines, and other forms of commercial exploitation – all of which violate the plain language of the ESA, and will lead to further devastation of species that are already on the brink of extinction. Wind Power Wind Power/Congressional
testimony: Eric Glitzenstein was invited
to testify before a subcommittee of the House Natural Resources
Committee concerning the impacts of improperly sited wind power
projects on wildlife. For a copy of the written testimony (which
calls for more stringent regulation of such projects) click
here. Wind Power/FACA Compliance: On behalf of a coalition of conservation organizations, we sent a letter to the Fish & Wildlife Service notifying the agency that its plan to convene a committee to engage in a "collaborative process" to amend and develop guidelines for siting wind turbines so as to minimize wildlife impacts violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act. In response, the agency has agreed to revise its plans and convene the committee in compliance with FACA. In response to our subsequent letter complaining about the lack of scientific expertise on the committee, the Service added an expert on bats, which have been killed in large numbers by wind turbines. However, because the committee continues to be dominated by the wind power industry, on behalf of the same coalition of organizations we have called on Interior Department officials to suspend its work until it can be properly constituted.
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