[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 36 (Wednesday, March 1, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL SPECIES TRANSPARENCY AND 
                              RECOVERY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAN NEWHOUSE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 1, 2017

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
rightly include state and local entities in federal decision-making and 
determinations that could potentially have profound impacts on states, 
municipalities, and local stakeholders. Federal agencies like the U.S. 
Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) are currently not required to share the 
underlying data used in listing decisions made under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (ESA) with the states or local entities that would 
be impacted by such listing decisions. The State, Tribal, and Local 
Species Transparency and Recovery Act will amend the ESA to simply 
require that federal agencies disclose all data used to promulgate a 
potential or final listing determination to the states affected by 
federal regulatory actions. Local entities deserve to have input on 
matters with potentially significant impacts on their communities. This 
bill is a simple, straightforward step to ensuring that input is 
offered and given due consideration.
  The legislation gives local stakeholders the opportunity to verify, 
dispute, or complement the information federal agencies use in an ESA 
listings. Far too often, states' data and species recovery plans are 
effectively ignored by federal agencies, even after earnest and costly 
efforts have been made to develop comprehensive and effective plans at 
the state and local levels. Regardless of these efforts, there is 
currently no guarantee that federal agencies will consider these plans 
nor the often superior data developed by local entities. By providing 
states, tribes, and localities the data used to promulgate these 
proposed listings, an opportunity arises for local stakeholders to get 
involved, and have their voices heard.
  Federal agencies too often overlook local conservation plans 
developed to ensure the protection of native species. These local 
efforts should not be disregarded. Local stakeholders deserve to have 
input in these federal decisions, and also deserve to know whether 
their hard work is taken into consideration long before the end result 
of a federal listing decision is made public.
  By involving local entities and the firsthand information developed 
on the ground by the groups, stakeholders, and communities who know 
these matters best, federal decisions will be more transparent, 
accountable, and comprehensive. I encourage my colleagues to join me in 
supporting the State, Tribal, and Local Species Transparency and 
Recovery Act to support greater involvement and assurances for local 
entities in federal agency decision-making.

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