[RC] News from the Committee on Resources - Hickory Ridge Arabians
From your AERC TRAILS CHAIRMAN:
Jerry
Fruth
News from Committee on
Resources
For Immediate Release
September 4, 2003
Resources Field Hearing
on ESA will Examine 'Species over People' Court Decision in New
Mexico
Washington, DC - Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) and members of the
House Resources Committee will hold an official field hearing this Saturday in
New Mexico on the endangered silvery minnow and its impact on water supplies for
the state.
In June of 2003, the 10th Circuit
Court of Appeal ruled that the Bureau of Reclamation has discretion to restrict
water supplies to urban and agricultural water users in deference to the
endangered silvery minnow. This decision goes well beyond the intent of
the ESA, threatens the longstanding principles of Western water law, exerts
federal control over water resources owned by others, and has created social and
economic meltdown in the state.
"One of the unintended consequences of this law
is that it puts the needs of species over the critical needs of human beings,"
Chairman Pombo said. "New Mexico is not alone in its current
predicament. In fact, this situation is yet another scary reminder of the
Klamath Basin catastrophe, in which an endangered sucker fish bankrupted family
farmers and crushed the local economy. If we don't come together to repair
this law, we will see more and more of these problems in communities throughout
the country."
New Mexicans expressed outrage over the court
decision.
"The fringe environmental community, with the
assistance of two federal court judges who are accountable to nobody in our
society, who are not elected...now want to take water from the mouths of our
children," said Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez (D). New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson (D) pledged his "best efforts to protect Albuquerque
and New Mexico from this grievous imbalance in the ESA."
Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power
Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) agreed. "When court decisions put our
communities second, we need to take a hard look at the purpose and balance of
the Endangered Species Act," he said. "I support the efforts of the New
Mexico delegation to bring closure to the silvery minnow issue and I hope that
we will continue the dialogue on how to address the many failings of the
Endangered Species Act."
"This
field-hearing is a chance for us to sit down and discuss the impacts the Silvery
Minnow has on our livelihood," said Congressman Steve Pearce (R-NM). "We
need to find a balanced approach to satisfy the needs of both human water users
and endangered species. While we all believe that endangered species recovery is
important, we cannot do so at the expense of the Constitution or the good people
of New Mexico."
The hearing will be held at the Belen High
School in Belen, New Mexico on Saturday, September 6th at 9:00
am.
Members of Congress The Honorable Richard Pombo, California, 11th
District The Honorable Ken Calvert,
California, California, 44th District The Honorable Steven Pearce, New Mexico, 2nd
District The Honorable Tom Udall, New
Mexico, 3rd District The
Honorable Joe Baca, California, 43rd District The Honorable Heather Wilson, New Mexico, 1st
District
Invited Witness Panels
PANEL I
The Honorable Bill Richardson, or
Designee Governor, State of New
Mexico
The Honorable Anthony Ortiz Governor, Pueblo of San Felipe
The Honorable Marty Chavez Mayor, City of Albuquerque
PANEL II
Ms. Jessica Sanchez
Ms. Eileen
Grevey-Hilson Family Farmer and
Rancher
AguaVida,
Resources Belen,
New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ms. Alletta
Belin
Dr. Tom Wesche New Mexico Counsel
Biologist, Habitach,
Inc. Western Resource Advocates
Laramie, Wyoming
