Urge Legislature to Protect Wildlife

The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association joined several conservation and environmental organizations in urging the legislature to oppose House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047. These proposals would undermine the ability of our wildlife management agencies to protect the mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians of the Commonwealth.

The current process allows scientists and wildlife management experts from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission to designate state threatened and endangered species, and wild trout streams in the case of the Fish & Boat Commission, on the basis of the best scientific data available. Among our serious concerns with the legislation, House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047 would subject these decisions to an additional, lengthy and cumbersome regulatory review process requiring the approval of persons with no particular expertise in science or wildlife management.

Call your state representative and senator and ask them to oppose HB 1576 and SB 1047 – tell them:

• The current process allows scientists and wildlife management experts from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission to designate state threatened and endangered species, and wild trout streams in the case of the Fish & Boat Commission, on the basis of the best scientific data available.
• This legislation, House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047, would subject decisions related to wildlife management to an additional, lengthy and cumbersome regulatory review process requiring the approval of persons with no particular expertise in science or wildlife management.
• The current methods list species is deliberate, grounded in scientific data, subject to rigorous analysis and review by other scientists and resource professionals, and open to public comment.
• If these bills become law, Pennsylvania could lose $27M in federal funding that would be used for wildlife protection and conservation efforts.
• Protecting species at the state level is the most effective way to prevent their decline and extinction nationally. Effective state conservation programs are critical to avoiding a listing under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the requirements that accompany such a designation.

Please urge the legislature to protect the wildlife of Pennsylvania and oppose House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047.