AUGUST 20, 2019 BY
From the Steamboat Pilot & Today | August 19, 2019
Since 2017 there has been an attack on the protection of our land, water, air and environment that is slowly putting the health of our families, children, communities, rivers, public lands and our country as a whole in jeopardy.
We are a nation originally built on rugged individualism, but as we grew and filled up our continent there were those individuals who took this trait to the extreme, to the detriment of the rest of our county. We had a great many really smart individuals who gamed our democratic system and abused the rest of us.
A bipartisan effort back in the 1970s approved required guidelines to protect our water, air, public lands, health, native animals and plants, food, personal rights, voting rights and many others too numerous to mention. Yes, these are rules and regulations that some resent as stepping on their personal liberties and rights … those rugged individual or seekers of monetary gain for themselves without concern for the needs of the rest of our community.
The present administration is laying siege to weaken the Endangered Species Act.
At first glance the average American might not have too much concern with this act as it protects animals and plants that they may not consider very important. But, these animals and plants are extremely important to scientists as they learn how these animals and plants impact our life support system on Earth and provide a livable habitat for humans. And they are also important to people of different faiths as they are part of their god’s creation.
Endangered bats reduce the insect population that carry malaria, the zika virus and other communicable diseases. Endangered fresh water mussels purify our drinking water. Endangered snails remove toxic bacteria and algae from our drinking water. Endangered beetles break down and recycle nutrients in the soil to help grow our food. Endangered toads provide medicine that cures us. Endangered bees and insects pollinate plants that produce our food. And then there are the endangered whales, wolves, tuna, salmon, bears, medicinal plants and others too numerous to mention.
When one adds up the thousands of other endangered species who perform vital tasks we need, complemented by millions of other species not endangered yet … we have a life support system that provides the human habitat that allows us to survive on this planet.
Contact David Bernhardt, secretary of the interior, at exsec@ios.doi.gov. or David_Bernhardt@ios.doi.gov and tell him to leave the ESA alone:
John Spezia
Steamboat Springs
