April
7, 2005
1.
What bill shoehorns "Invasive Species", an aspect of international
law, into U.S. law?
2.
What bill adds “Invasive Species” to the legal arsenal of endangered
species, wetlands, and critical habitat, thus causing expensive delays and
cancellations of needed government projects and, in time, private projects
as well?
3.
What bill guarantees increased tonnage of sediment, pesticides, phosphorous
and nitrates into the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal and inland bodies?
4.
What bill explicitly elevates “Invasive Species” to the level of habitat
conservation and water quality for Federally-funded statewide
planning?
5.
What bill explicitly elevates “Invasive Species” to the level of habitat
conservation and water quality for Federally-funded local
planning?
6.
What bill invites enviro-lawyers to blackmail government into using tax
dollars to fund “further environmental studies” on “Invasive
Species” by State and Local enviro-groups?
7.
What bill obliges Vermont and Maryland to mitigate their State Flowers at
construction sites, to be replaced by “native” species designated by
radical enviro-groups?
8.
What bill specifically adds “Invasive Species” to wetlands and
brownfields under its “Environmental Restoration” title, ushering the
EPA into the regulatory domain of plants and animals?
9.
What multi-$Billion bill allows up to 20% spending under its “Pollution
Abatement” and “Environmental Restoration” titles to be spent on
“Invasive Species” mitigation and plant inventories?
10.
What bill diverts funding from construction, funneling it instead to enviro-groups
who implement the Biodiversity agenda through “Invasive Species”?
Bonus
Question (5 points; choose one): How do you want the government to spend
your tax dollars over the next six years in legislation promoted to be for
capital improvement projects?
a.
on native plant inventories
b.
on “Invasive Species” mitigation
c.
to subsidize enviro-groups
d.
on legal fees to defend construction plans
e.
to build highways
Answers:
1.
The Senate version of the new 6-year, near-$300B transportation bill: the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005,
known as SAFETEA 2005. (The House has removed all “Invasive Species”
language from its version of the bill: The Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users, known as TEA LU.)
2.
SAFETEA
3.
SATETEA
4.
SAFETEA
5.
SAFETEA
6.
SAFETEA
7.
SAFETEA
8.
SAFETEA
9.
SAFETEA
10.
SAFETEA
Bonus
Question: e. building highways is the only correct answer.
The newest Big Scare by
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their partners in government is
called “Invasive Species”. Senate Bill SAFETEA 2005 embeds “Invasive
Species” into U.S. law.
You
can stop “Invasive Species” from becoming “the next ESA” by simply
telling your Senators that all “Invasive Species” language MUST be
stricken from SAFETEA.
Explanations:
1.
SAFETEA codifies "Invasive Species". Using
closed-door tactics, a few clauses are sneaked into a huge, seemingly
unrelated bill.
2.
SAFETEA introduces “Invasive Species” into Federal law. Endangered
species, critical habitat and wetlands are already part of the plethora of
American environmental law through the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the
Clean Water Act (CWA). Both laws have been used extensively by environmental
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to cause $Billions in delays and
cancellations of both private and government projects, including highway
construction. A look at history and current NGO master plans reveals
“Invasive Species” to be “the next ESA”.
3.
A perverse consequence of “Invasive Species” in SAFETEA is that it will
have the exact opposite effect of its stated purpose, which is to
protect the environment. One example is the case of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed. Crownvetch (the State Conservation and Beautification Plant of
Pennsylvania), birdsfoot trefoil, tall fescue and ryegrass were proven
through decades of empirical research and practical experience to be
superior for roadside erosion control. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
now lists these plants as “Invasive Species” and has informed State
DOTs that once “Invasive Species” authority has been granted, their use
will be prohibited. By forcing State and Local agencies to use substandard
species, pollution in all U.S. watersheds will increase dramatically.
4.
The point here is the inclusion of “Invasive Species” in statewide
planning via SAFETEA.
5.
Same as No. 5, but for local planning.
6.
Environmental NGOs have discovered that they can use Federal environmental
law to finance themselves through blackmail litigation. By filing for
injunction on a project, they effectively force Federal, State and Local
governments to give them grants for further environmental impact studies.
NGO legal teams use the ESA, CWA and the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA) as tools for government financing. Adding “Invasive
Species” provides these NGOs another revenue stream.
7.
This is another unforeseen consequence of SAFETEA. Vermont’s State Flower
is red clover. Maryland’s is black-eyed Susan. Both are listed as
“Invasive Species”. Neither is harmful.
8.
SAFETEA endorses the pseudoscience of “Invasive Species” under this
subtitle. By including “Invasive Species” under “Environmental
Restoration”, the inference is that the environment can only be healthy if
populated by (restored to) species that were present prior to 1492. Enter
the EPA.
9.
SAFETEA does limit the amount spent on “Invasive Species”, but note that
even a percentage of $Billions is still a lot of money – money
specifically used to fund enviro-groups.
10.
A pie can only be divided so many ways. SAFETEA underwrites enviro-groups
by diverting funds, which would otherwise be employed for highway
construction, to on-site "pre-construction studies". State
Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are ill equipped to undertake this
additional environmental assessment. Only such enviro-groups as The Nature
Conservancy and its lesser State and Local counterparts have positioned
themselves to do this. State DOTs must, by default, contract to
these groups.
Further
Reading:
See http://www.PropertyRightsResearch.org/2005/articles04/inspetest.htm to
reference "Invasive Species", junk science and deliberate scare
tactics. Enjoy the quizzes. Learn how enviro-groups use the political system
-- and “Invasive Species” -- to fund themselves and control your life.
Read the works of Inhofe, Crichton, Sagoff and others that point out the
dangers. Empower yourself to help keep “Invasive Species” from becoming
“the next ESA”.