Growers Seek To Improve Implementation Of Endangered Species Act

Posted by Paul Rusnak|December 23, 2010

EPA is opening a public comment period on a Sept. 16, 2010 petition from Growers for ESA Transparency (GET) asking for more stakeholder input into endangered species consultations. According to a GET news release, the current process places west coast growers at a huge economic disadvantage without any indication that salmon will benefit.

The news release continues: “The impact on fruit, berry, citrus and vegetable growers could be severe enough to cost jobs and decrease exports. Data collected by the Washington State Department of Agriculture shows that salmon are already being protected by current restrictions.

“EPA and the National Marine Fisheries Service have failed to develop a functional consultation process. We have two federal agencies who can’t work together. Growers are caught in the crossfire. When the Endangered Species Act was amended in 1988, Congress wrote that the Endangered Species Act should be implemented in such as way as to minimize harm to the production of food and fiber.

GET, a coalition of growers throughout the western United States, is committed to improving the consultation process for, the transparency of, and accessibility to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). GET is requesting EPA to take immediate action to establish, by rule making, clear and equitable procedures for notice and comment on the agency’s pesticide effects determinations for endangered species and subsequent actions, including draft biological opinions and potential product restrictions consistent with section 1010 of the 1988 amendments to the ESA.

GET includes: Washington Friends of Farms & forests, Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Western Growers Association, California Strawberry Commission, California Citrus Mutual and many others committed to improving the transparency of implementation of the Endangered Species Act.