07.09.15

Republican-Dominated Markup Features California Drought Bill That Weakens Endangered Species Act, Ignores Conservation Options

Washington, D.C. – Following the recently concluded Natural Resources Committee markup, Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva highlighted the wide-spread opposition to the Republican majority’s bill – which passed on a nearly party-line vote – weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other environmental laws in the name of addressing the California drought. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 2898 on June 25, and the Committee marked it up today without having held a hearing on it.

“When the White House, both California senators, the conservation community, and the local newspapers all say this bill is unworkable, that should be a sign that we haven’t found the answer,” Grijalva said. “We should be working on a bipartisan basis to get California some needed drought relief. Instead, we wasted time today pretending the Republican plan to gut the ESA is a real solution. I wish I could say it’s the first time we’ve seen that from the majority, but we all know it isn’t and it shows no signs of stopping.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) recently said H.R. 2898 contains provisions “that would violate environmental law” and that she cannot support it. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) says the bill is “the same-old, same-old and will only reignite the water wars.” The Obama administration opposes the bill because, as it said in a recent Statement of Administration Policy, it “fails to equitably address critical elements of California’s complex water challenges and will, if enacted, have the unintended consequence of impeding an effective and timely response to the continuing drought while providing no additional water to hard hit communities.”

The bill is widely opposed by conservation groups, recreation organizations, outdoor businesses, commercial fishing groups, Native American Tribes, and hunting groups. The Fresno Bee recently wrote that “in some cases, it’s an unabashed GOP wish list” that has “little in common with a 140-page draft water bill floated by Democrats” You can read that article at http://bit.ly/1gqjElo.

Grijalva and Federal Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) yesterday highlighted the many issues left off the agenda for today’s markup, including national energy policy, the need to reauthorize the expiring Land and Water Conservation Fund and Historic Preservation Fund, and multiple Democratic-sponsored public land designations.