Audubon Advisory
April 11, 2008
Vol 2008 Issue 4

U.S. Waives Environmental Laws On Border Fence; Audubon's Own Sabal Palm Sanctuary Threatened
On April 1, the Department of Homeland Security announced it was bypassing dozens of environmental and land-management laws in order to build hundreds of miles of border fence between the United States and Mexico.

Audubon and other conservation groups have said the current design amounts to an impenetrable concrete wall that would prevent wildlife from migrating and fragment habitat. Among the 30-some laws being waived are the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Audubon President John Flicker called the action "unprecedented and extreme."

Unfortunately, in addition to the implications of the border fence for wildlife and environmental law, Audubon's own Sabal Palm Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Brownsville, Texas may find itself entirely on the Mexico side of the fence. The Department of Homeland Security is currently considering plans to erect the border fence just north of the sanctuary, effectively trimming it from the rest of the country and probably forcing its closure. The situation inspired the New York Times on April 7 to call Audubon's sanctuary "a natural treasure that may end up without a country."

National Audubon Society and Audubon Texas are working tirelessly to try to stop the border fence and save Sabal Palm Sanctuary. Stay tuned to learn what you can do to help.

Bill to Help Invasive Species on Wildlife Refuges to Be Introduced in Senate
Capitol Hill insiders report that Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) plans to introduce a bill, the Refuge Ecology Protection and Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act, which would establish a new grant program that would allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to address the number one threat to America's national wildlife refuges: invasive species.

Audubon has worked for months to negotiate with animal rights groups to address concerns, and have successfully included in the bill several major provisions that came out of that negotiation, including language that would require the Fish and Wildlife Service to use non-lethal methods where practical, and to use humane methods when lethal control is necessary.

Please stay tuned to learn how you can help this much-needed legislation move forward and help our wildlife refuges.

Climate Change Legislation on the Horizon in the Senate
Last December, the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee passed the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S 2191), a bill that seeks to reduce U.S. global warming pollution by regulating major polluters such as coal burning power plants and oil refineries. The bill establishes a national cap and trade system that places a limit on pollution emissions that steadily decrease over time. As written, the bill would reduce emissions by roughly 62-66% by 2050.

In creating a cap-and-trade system, the bill establishes a market for carbon emissions that will spur innovation and increase the use of clean technologies that reduce global warming pollution. Emission allowances, or permits to pollute, are either auctioned or distributed directly to various entities on an annual basis. The proceeds from these allowances, estimated to be as much as $100 billion per year, will be used to cut costs through energy efficiency, promote new low-carbon technologies, provide assistance to consumers and impacted people around the world, and provide funding to protect wildlife and natural resources threatened by global warming.

Since passing out of the EPW Committee, Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Senators Lieberman (I-CT), Warner (R-VA), and other Senate leaders have been laying the groundwork to bring the bill to the floor for a full debate. Recently, Senate leadership indicated that the bill will likely come up for a vote in early June.

The Lieberman-Warner bill is a significant step forward, and presents the first real opportunity for Congress to take strong and bold action aimed at solving global warming. However, the bill could be stronger. In the coming months, Audubon will be working to build support in the Senate for not only moving forward with a debate on the Lieberman-Warner bill, but also for strengthening the bill. Specifically, Audubon will be working to tighten up the long-term 2050 target for emissions reduction, increasing assistance for consumers, reducing unneeded assistance for polluting companies, and ensuring that the cleanest, cheapest, and safest technologies receive the greatest amount of financial investments.

International Conservation on the Hot Seat
Audubon has long recognized that our mission—to conserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of humanity and earth's biological diversity—requires a global effort. As the House and Senate put together their appropriations bills for US government spending in Fiscal Year 2009, Audubon will urge Congress to continue its legacy of supporting critical biodiversity conservation programs around the world, like the Biodiversity Program of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This effective and far-reaching program has led important conservation efforts to protect species and habitats in more than 50 countries, including initiatives that protect habitats in Central and South America that our backyard birds rely on during winter migration. Unfortunately, the Administration has proposed a 35% cut to USAID's biodiversity program. Audubon staff and activists will continue to reach out to key decision makers to ensure that funding is restored for these critical global conservation efforts.

Hearings on Clean Water Restoration Act
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA) (S 1870), a legislative fix to the jurisdictional confusion caused by several Supreme Court cases in recent years over what waters are covered by the Clean Water Act. Carol Browner, former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chair of Audubon's Board of Directors, was the star witness. The House will hold a hearing next week on the Clean Water Restoration Act (HR 2421), which is expected to last all day and into the night. Climate change and associated impacts to aquatic ecosystems and water resources make future protection of our nation's waters vital.

Mississippi River Team Hits the Hill
Dan McGuiness, Director of Conservation Policy for Audubon's Mississippi River Initiative, and April Gromnicki, Audubon's Director of Ecosystem Restoration, visited the offices of the most of the Senators along the Mississippi River - Headwaters to Gulf. They presented a headwaters to gulf overview, including a 3-D map and 3-D glasses to each office (the better to see where their state fits in the picture). Appropriations will be very difficult as Members sort out spending priorities.

UPDATE: NJ Helps Rescue Imperiled Red Knot
In February, we reported that the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council had dealt a major setback to efforts to protect the Red Knot, when it rejected a moratorium on the taking of horseshoe crabs. The iconic shorebirds are dependent on horseshoe crab eggs as food during their long migration from South America to the Arctic Circle. Fortunately, the NJ legislature and Governor Corzine acted swiftly to enact the moratorium in time for this year's migration. Special thanks to everybody in New Jersey and neighboring states who took the time to write letters to the NJ legislature. Please stay tuned for updates on Audubon's efforts to seek emergency protection for the Red Knot under the Endangered Species Act.

Audubon's Alaska Road Show
Don't miss out on an opportunity to learn more about Alaska and see a great presentation on the wildlife, the culture, and the threats to some of our last, best wild places. Here are upcoming dates and chapters that are hosting this presentation:

• 4/12: Audubon Society of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
• 4/15: Tulsa Audubon, Tulsa, OK
• 4/16: Canton Audubon, Canton, OH
• 4/22: Orleans Audubon, New Orleans, LA
• 5/1:   New Hope Audubon, Chapel Hill, NC
• 5/6:   Vancouver Audubon, Vancouver, WA
• 5/8:   Kitsap Audubon, Poulsbo, WA
• 5/9:   Pilchuck Audubon, Everett, WA
• 5/14: Spokane Audubon, Spokane, WA
• 5/15: Kittitas Audubon, Ellensburg, WA
• 5/19: Bitterroot Audubon, Hamilton, MT
• 5/20: Last Chance Audubon, Helena, MT