Another ESA debacle

The homebuilders group in California is likely hailing the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to slice in half the critical habitat designation for the threatened Alameda whipsnake.

Once again economic interests focused on short-term profits appear to have emerged victorious in an Endangered Species Act battle. And once again, fish and wildlife lose.

 SFGate.com reports:

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated more than 150,000 acres in the East Bay as essential habitat for the Alameda whipsnake Monday, less than half the land originally proposed for the rare reptile.

The agency also declared its intention to loosen protections for six other California animals — including the valley elderberry longhorn beetle, a bug with extravagantly long antennae that has confounded development projects in the Central Valley for years because of its threatened status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The service listed the whipsnake as a threatened species in December 1997.

Critics of the act hailed the service’s actions, claiming the Endangered Species Act is unworkable and unduly burdensome to business. But environmentalists say the moves are based on politics rather than science.

Under the Endangered Species Act, federal regulators must give each listed plant or animal critical habitat — territory where it can live, and, it’s hoped, eventually thrive. Landowners whose property lies within critical habitat can face restrictions on development, timber harvesting and agricultural activities.

In 2000, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed 406,000 acres as whipsnake habitat. The Homebuilders Association of Northern California sued the agency, contending the decision was based on inadequate financial impact analysis. In 2003 a U.S. District Court directed the service to revisit the issue.”

An interesting sidelight: How many dollars has the homebuilders group and its membership contributed to the campaign coffers of certain politicians?