US Amphibian Ban! PLEASE READ!

[JeffreH]

I realize I have posted about Categorical Exclusion with some frequency over the last couple of days, and I apologize for forum-flooding the matter. If you haven't done your part yet, please please PLEASE READ if you want a future of keeping reptiles and amphibians! Adding these species to the Lacey Act will make it illegal to transport or ship your pet across state lines! This can cripple the herpetoculture hobby!

Forwarded from United States Herpetoculture Alliance (http://www.usherp.org) - hot off the email newsletter:

UPDATE CatX: Amphibian Ban!



The US Herpetoculture Alliance has just been made aware of a NEW wrinkle in the whirlwind US Fish & Wildlife (FWS) Categorical Exclusion (CatX) power grab! Sources inside Capitol Hill have just informed us that the CatX is a precursor to the wholesale listing of ALL amphibians to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. CatX, if enacted, would remove most of the due process afforded the rule making process under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). It would exclude FWS from doing due diligence in regards to scientific, economic and social impacts. In other words they could list ALL amphibians, in essence, just by declaring that they are injurious wildlife!

A petition to add ALL amphibians to the injurious list was fielded by FWS about two years ago. Subsequently, FWS published a Notice of Inquiry in the Federal Register signaling their intention to propose a rule. The US Herpetoculture Alliance predicted this scenario three weeks ago when we broke the news of FWS’s intention to secure CatX. It was our opinion that CatX was a precursor to an attempt to list all amphibians on the injurious list without giving due process to the thousands of species that could be affected. Further, the Herp Alliance believes that this would be only the beginning of additional large scale listings of hundreds of species.

Senate EPW Ranking Member David Vitter

The good news is, the hard work that the US Herpetoculture Alliance has been engaged in all year is bearing fruit. The US House Natural Resources Committee has written a letter to Dan Ashe, Director of FWS, asking that the CatX be withdrawn by the agency. Simultaneously, the US Senate Environmental & Public Works Ranking member, Senator David Vitter, has requested a 90 day extension on “public comment” for CatX from Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and FWS Director Dan Ashe. The current deadline is July 31st.
Although the Herp Alliance and our allies have made a strong case for the extension of the “public comment” period, it is imperative that everyone make public comment prior to the July 31st deadline. If we get the extension we can all make more substantive supplemental comments, but time is of the essence on making public comment NOW!
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***Copy and paste the following template into the public comment section of FWS website (making a comment in the comment section of our blog page is NOT making public comment). Be sure to include the subject line. Make public comment prior to July 31 deadline. Email FWS directly:
Email Address: prevent_invasives@fws.gov.
Subject Line: Categorical Exclusion; FWS–HQ–FHC–2013–N044
As a member of the herpetoculture community I am against the proposed US Fish & Wildlife “Categorical Exclusion” from NEPA mandates and I would like to support Senate EPW Ranking Member Vitter’s request for a 90 day extension on the public comment period.
This type of Categorical Exclusion is too far reaching and without precedent. It could facilitate the arbitrary addition of animals to the injurious wildlife list of the Lacey Act; potentially threatening the entire $1.4 billion annual commerce in reptiles and amphibians. Not only would it negate due process, but it would also negate legal recourse under NEPA. Categorical Exclusion could potentially become a tool to destroy my small business. Please consider the following points:

1. The proposed categorical exclusion bypasses the requirement to consider economic and social impacts under NEPA.
2. A categorical exclusion would not allow FWS to fully consider the beneficial impacts of declining to list a species under the Lacey Act.
3. The proposed categorical exclusion is much broader than any of the other eight exclusions that FWS has approved under “permitting and regulatory functions”.
4. The FWS’s “extraordinary circumstances” exception to a categorical exclusion is unhelpful because it does not apply to actions with high economic impacts.

Thank you.
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Read letter from Senator David Vitter requesting 90 day extension on CatX: 7.24.2013 CatX Comment Extension- Vitter
Read letter from House Natural Resources requesting withdrawal of CatX: PDF_Letter_to_Director_Dan_Ashe_on_Categorical_Exc lusion
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***It has come to our attention that another organization is picking up our press releases, paraphrasing them, and then releasing them as their own. We are not overly concerned with this fact and will continue to do the work and break the news. We prefer to be inclusive and above the fray on these issues that are so vitally important to herpetoculture. Emulation is the greatest form of flattery and maybe it will provide greater awareness to the community in these troubled times. We welcome anyone who can help spread the word on CatX.***

[CJ PELCHER]

I sent an email out Jeff, but unfortunately this is not a vote based petition..its opinion based. So what good is it going to do in reality? Extension or Not...we may base facts that we have...but this will SHUT DOWN MANY BUSINESSES including mine..so I made the effort regardless.

To any Herp Lover. Send this email out if you want to even keep any pets of your own...this is outrageous that US F&W would even attempt to do this. Where do they even benefit from this rule?? This reminds me of GREENPEACE...the extremist ocean group.

I said my 2 cents. SEND THE EMAIL!!!

[flybyferns]

I sent my email.... as well

Thank You, both.... for posting this!

Lynn

[ejh805]

Sent my email and will be linking others to this.

[ejh805]

Ugh

I'm getting a bunch of replies saying that "they should be in the wild" and "I think this is a good idea", & "if they are meant to go extinct then let it happen." in response to using the argument that amphibians are fragile and going extinct at an alarming rate all over the world due to deforestation and pollution. This is frustrating. Do most people think this way?

[poison]

Ugh

I'm getting a bunch of replies saying that "they should be in the wild" and "I think this is a good idea", & "if they are meant to go extinct then let it happen." in response to using the argument that amphibians are fragile and going extinct at an alarming rate all over the world due to deforestation and pollution. This is frustrating. Do most people think this way?

Ask them this. If they believe its ok for an animal to go extinct do to humans then why cant we help we humans step in in other ways and help the population?

[Heatheranne]

http://usark.org/campaign/usfws-cate...-f357-p2110-o1

The comment area is in the bottom left corner of the petition.

[Heatheranne]

Ugh

I'm getting a bunch of replies saying that "they should be in the wild" and "I think this is a good idea", & "if they are meant to go extinct then let it happen." in response to using the argument that amphibians are fragile and going extinct at an alarming rate all over the world due to deforestation and pollution. This is frustrating. Do most people think this way?

Unfortunately, yes. Because most people are oblivious to their declining numbers anyway, let alone that we are the ones that help.

Not to mention, most of us buy captive bred species, which actually helps to keep native species populations less affected.

[Heatheranne]

Is there a link to see the email responses?

[Heatheranne]

It makes sense, but what they don't realize is that it not often been through the industry.

[Heatheranne]

Chytrid, that is.

[Heatheranne]

DON'T LET OUR FROGS BE BANNED! We take great care of them and are not the ones creating invasive species or spreading disease.

Show you care! And please sign the petition.

Please take a moment to sign the PETITION to stop the Category Exclusion act so we can continue to enjoy our amazing hobby.

You may add a pleasant and professional comment the the left bottom corner of your petition if you'd like also.

http://usark.org/campaign/usfws-cate...-f357-p2110-o1