BP BHEAD INT H

TO THE HONORABLE BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Wise stewardship of the Nation's lands and biological resources can provide many benefits, including desirable places for our citizens to live, work, and recreate, cleansing of our airs and waters, opportunities to discover new and valuable medicines and other products, beneficial areas with diverse native plants and animals, control of flooding, and a rich natural heritage to pass on to future generations; and

WHEREAS, Wise stewardship of the Nation's natural resources will benefit all Americans and future generations; and

WHEREAS, Human prosperity and opportunity are based on a healthy and productive environment; and

WHEREAS, The Nation, individual States, and sovereign Tribes have had a number of statutes and programs intended to prevent plants and animals from becoming so depleted that they require protection under the Endangered Species Act; and

WHEREAS, The Congress intends to revisit the Endangered Species Act and reauthorize the Act's funding ceiling; and

WHEREAS, Measures to protect threatened and endangered species may fall disproportionately upon individual citizens or communities; and

WHEREAS, Conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals may cause severe disruption of local communities and economies; and

WHEREAS, Delays, uncertainty, inconsistency, and conflicting programs by federal agencies in their implementation of the Endangered species Act causes great hardship to businesses and to their employees; and

WHEREAS, The number of plant and animal species in the United States protected under the Endangered Species Act could approach four thousand, many of which are found in Washington state; and

WHEREAS, Wildlife and environmental management experts have recognized that it is more successful and less costly to manage for biological communities and multiple species before they become threatened rather than focus on emergency cases one at a time; and

WHEREAS, The Endangered Species Act as currently promulgated has caused great disruptions in both the economy of the Pacific Northwest and in the lives of many Washington citizens, without great benefit to the species the Act is intended to protect;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and the Congress of the United States:

Enact and implement comprehensive natural resource management programs to provide a balance between protecting plant and animal species and their habitats and providing for the more immediate well-being and economic benefit of our citizens and communities;

Adequately fund and implement existing programs designed to prevent plants and animals from requiring protection under the Endangered Species Act;

Require federal agencies responsible for endangered species recovery to establish priorities to benefit multiple listed and candidate species, to ensure that recovery programs have a high probability of success, and to emphasize recovery programs that are cost-effective;

Encourage the management and recovery of entire ecosystems and ecological communities rather than focus exclusively on individual crises;

Require federal agencies responsible for endangered species recovery to observe strict timelines in order to avoid delays and minimize uncertainty among citizens affected by federal actions;

Require federal agencies responsible for endangered species recovery to identify successful recovery programs and de-list formerly endangered species in a responsible period of time;

Require consultation and close coordination with State and Tribal governments in considering the listing of candidate species and in the design of conservation and recovery plans;

Require federal agencies responsible for endangered species recovery to coordinate their activities to reduce redundant and conflicting programs;

Provide private property owners with financial incentives to protect and conserve our nation's biological resources, including threatened or endangered species found on their lands; and

Establish a financial assistance program to help private property owners to implement habitat conservation plans for listed species found on their lands.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.