Alliance Supports Rep. Thompson's ESA Bill  

Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CALIFORNIA) and Don Young (R-ALASKA) have introduced the Endangered Species Recovery Act, which would provide landowners with tax incentives if they agree to implement species recovery plans. Senators Max Baucus (MONTANA) and Mike Crapo (IDAHO) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.   

Last Friday, the Family Farm Alliance formally endorsed this legislation, which is currently supported by dozens of wildlife conservation and sporting organizations, the National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition, and the American Farm Bureau.  

The attached letter, which further outlines this issue, was transmitted to Rep. Thompson’s office last Friday.  

Dan Keppen

Executive Director

Family Farm Alliance

April 13, 2007  

The Honorable Mike Thompson

United States House of Representatives

231 Cannon Office Building

Washington , DC 20515  

Dear Representative Thompson:  

The Family Farm Alliance ( Alliance ), a grassroots association of irrigators, water agencies and allied industries in 17 Western states, understands and appreciates the significant value of private landowners’ contributions to fish and wildlife conservation. Earlier today, the Alliance Board of Directors unanimously supported your bipartisan bill – The Endangered Species Recovery Act (ESRA) - to provide tax incentives for eligible taxpayers to conserve habitat for listed threatened or endangered species on their lands.

Family farmers and ranchers believe your legislation is a positive step toward improving a 30-year old law that is seen by many landowners as more “stick” than “carrot”. In the past 31 years, more than 1,300 species were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Only 10 have actually been recovered.

The Alliance strongly affirms the goals of the ESA. However, this law could stand some targeted reforms, including common-sense changes to make it work better. ESRA is a much needed and long-overdue legislative effort to begin the process of updating the ESA.

The tax credit proposed in your legislation will be available to land owners who have habitat important to recover federally threatened or endangered species. Land owners will only be eligible for the tax credit if they enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture or Defense and the conservation easement or the management of their land coincides with an existing recovery plan by the Secretary of Interior or Commerce. Federal technical assistance will be provided to the land owners to make sure they understand the agreement and that they are carrying out the management of the land in accordance to the recovery plan.  

We are pleased that Congress is going to take a hard look at how to make the ESA work better for all concerned. We strongly support your proposal to further engage private landowners in listed species and habitat conservation through this provision of tax incentives. This will be particularly helpful to working farmers and ranchers to enable them to work the land and also contribute to the conservation of listed species.  

Sincerely,

Dan Keppen

Executive Director