The Endangered Species Act has been controversial since the day it was introduced. It has a laudable goal — the protection of plants and animals before they disappear from the face of the earth.
But the pursuit of that goal has made enemies of more than a few farmers, ranchers and developers and others. They say the rules protecting habitat are so stringent they can’t make a living off their land and they’re not fairly compensated for the loss. Supporters of the Endangered Species Act counter that our human footprint on the land is getting bigger every day and that sprawl and greed, if unchecked, will mean certain extinction for many species.
There are roughly 1,200 hundred species currently protected under the act. The Connection examines what is in store for them when the Act comes up for re-authorization and possible revision this year.
Guests:
Owen Squires, Rocky Mountain Regional Director for Pulp and Paper Workers Resources Council
Michael Bean, Chairman of the Wildlife Program for Environmental Defense ni Washington DC, TBD.