Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org, 804-519-8449
WASHINGTON, D.C -- Sen. Barrasso today introduced a bill that would unravel the Endangered Species Act by weakening the reliance on sound science, giving authority over wildlife decisions to often hostile state management, and stripping the ability of the public to hold agencies accountable when they fail to act.
In response, Jordan Giaconia, Sierra Club federal policy associate, issued the following statement.
“This bill is nothing more than another attempt to roll back protections for some of our country’s most imperiled wildlife. Shifting from a basis in science to one blown by political whims leaves wildlife exposed, threatening to reverse decades of work to bring animals back from the brink of extinction. You need to look no further than Sen. Barrasso’s home state of Wyoming, where grizzly bears prematurely stripped of endangered species protections are about to be trophy hunted, to see the risks legislation like this poses.”
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.