Environmental Defense Supports Introduction of Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007

Three of the country's leading environmental groups are throwing their support behind the introduction of a bill that creates tax incentives to conserve endangered species that live on private lands. The Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007 (S.700) is sponsored by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA), Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) and 12 other Senate co-sponsors. The bill's prospects for action are good since the Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over tax legislation and several members of the committee are co-sponsors. Environmental leaders joined the Senators at a Capitol Hill news conference to unveil the measure.

"Most of the rare species in America live on privately-owned lands; very few exist only in our national parks or forests," said Michael Bean, senior attorney for Environmental Defense. "Conserving those species often requires active habitat management that is costly for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. For too long now, we've been relying exclusively on regulations that had the unintended consequence of pitting landowners and environmentalists against each other. This bipartisan bill would use tax incentives to help us reach our mutual goals of conserving wildlife. This is an innovative approach that will help us make real progress for our endangered species."

Bean spoke at the news conference on behalf of Environmental Defense, the National Wildlife Federation, and Defenders of Wildlife. The three conservation groups are all backing the bill, which would provide $400 million annually in new tax credits, plus additional deductions and exclusions, for private landowners who take steps to help any of 1200 endangered or threatened species on the properties they own. The measure would make it financially possible for citizens who want to be good stewards of their land to help conserve the rare plants and animals that live there.

Co-sponsors for the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2007 include Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Robert Bennett (R-UT), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Larry Craig (R-ID), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sam Brownback (R-KS).

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