[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 68 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5123-S5124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself and Mr. Baucus):
  S. 911. A bill to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act of 1973; to 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, on Monday, May 7, I traveled once 
again to Klamath Falls, OR, to address a rally of more than 15,000 
people. They came to show their support for the farmers, farm workers, 
small business owners and local officials in the Upper Klamath River 
Basin who were devastated by the April 6 Bureau of Reclamation 
announcement that the agency would deliver no water to most of the 
agricultural lands that have always received irrigation water from the 
federal project.
  This decision is expected to cost the local economy between two 
hundred fifty million and three hundred million dollars. This is an 
area that has already been hurt economically by the significant 
reduction in the Federal timber sale program, and was further harmed 
when the Federal roadless policy precluded a proposed ski area that 
would have brought jobs and tourism dollars to the local community.
  This crisis highlights many of the current problems with the 
administration of the Endangered Species Act. We are managing the water 
resources in this basin for two fish species, at the expense of all 
other wildlife, including bald eagles. We are foregoing water 
deliveries to refuges that are a critical component of the western 
flyway in order to triple the water we are sending down the river for 
fish. We are also forgetting our human stewardship, and to date have 
failed to provide assistance to the farmers and ranchers who are facing 
economic ruin over this water allocation decision.
  You cannot look in the faces of those honest, hard-working farmers 
and ranchers, as I have, and believe that this situation is just or 
reasonable. You cannot see the anxiety on the faces of children who 
don't understand what is happening, or why a fish is more important 
than their family, and not be moved to action.
  That is why, to begin a meaningful dialogue on the Endangered Species 
Act, I am introducing the ``Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2001.'' 
This bill is almost identical to legislation that was reported out of 
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in the 105th Congress 
by a vote of fifteen to three. Those voting in favor were Senators 
Allard, Baucus, Bond, Chafee, Graham, Hutchison, Inhofe, Kempthorne, 
Moynihan, Reid, Sessions, Smith of New Hampshire, Thomas, Warner, and 
Wyden. The bill was supported by the Western Governors' Association, 
and incorporates the recommendations which that Association, the 
National Governors' Association and the International Association of 
Fish and Wildlife Agencies sent to the Congress in 1995.
  If enacted, this bill would do a better job of recovering species, 
while addressing the legitimate concerns of property owners or others 
affected by the Endangered Species Act. While increasing public 
participation, this legislation significantly strengthens the recovery 
planning process and creates new tools to ensure that recovery plans 
are implemented. The bill also streamlines the consultation process and 
provides significant new incentives for property owners to preserve and 
restore habitat for listed species.

[[Page S5124]]

  I remain committed to enhancing our environmental stewardship. But 
right now, we have a situation where over 1,100 species have been 
listed under the existing Act, and less than two dozen have been 
delisted. Litigation is consuming far too much of the time and 
resources of federal agencies that could be better spent actually 
recovering species.
  The time has come to admit that there must be a better way to protect 
wildlife. I hope that this will be the beginning of a bipartisan 
dialogue that results in effective improvements in the Act.
  In the meantime, I will continue to press for the assistance that the 
residents of the Klamath Falls area need to make it through this year. 
It has become increasingly apparent to me over the last three weeks 
that existing federal disaster assistance programs and crop insurance 
programs are simply not geared toward the type of situation we have in 
the Klamath Falls area. I will continue to press the Administration for 
an assistance package that will provide meaningful relief to these 
families.
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