Environmental Defense
April 2007
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The 110th Congress seems more open to working creatively with private landowners to protect endangered species. Environmental Defense Land, Water and Wildlife Co-Director Mary Kelly says this is a refreshing change.

"We have long believed that the key to protecting endangered species in the U.S. is to stop treating farmers, ranchers and other private property owners like adversaries and start working with them as partners.

"For too long, however, opponents of endangered species protections have done everything they could to drive a wedge between environmentalists and landowners.

"The new Congress is showing refreshing signs that this is a new day.

"In February, Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Max Baucus (D-MT), Charles Grassley (R-IA) and 13 other Senate co-sponsors introduced the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007 (S.700). An accompanying House bill was introduced a week later.

"These bipartisan bills would create tax incentives to help farmers and other landowners make investments in their land to better protect habitat for endangered species.

"Through this approach, we can show landowners that we respect their real world economic considerations and that we want to do everything we can to reward them for being good stewards of their land and of the rare plants and animals that live there.

"This is the type of innovative policy solution Environmental Defense looks for in all our major conservation initiatives. We look forward to working with Congress and landowners on this constructive and refreshing new approach."