WEEKLY UPDATE ON WESTERN CAUCUS MEMBERS TAKING ACTION FOR RURAL AMERICA
VEGAS FIELD TOUR
The Western Caucus Foundation hosted its 9th annual Field Tour and Roundtable during the National Finals Rodeo earlier this month. Nearly 200 friends of the Western Caucus were in attendance.
Members, WCF Stakeholders, and staffers took tours of the Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Raider’s Allegiant Stadium and engaged in panel discussions on issues distinctive to Western America.
Some members even had the opportunity to tour the Las Vegas Sphere, home of U2 before attending panel discussions and spending an evening at the National Finals Rodeo.
Thank you to all who attended and supported this Field Tour.
ESA AT 50 REPORT
Just in time for its 50th anniversary, the Western Caucus Foundation released its report on the Endangered Species Act.
It was found that nearly 60% of species purportedly “recovered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) should never have been listed in the first place, and were disguised as successes when taken of the federal list, an extensive study of federal ESA data.
The deceptive practice of misrepresenting mistakes as successes has gone on for decades, hiding the waste of conservation resources, and imposing regulatory burdens based on erroneous data.
Learn more about the report’s findings, sources, and statistics via the link below.
WESTERN CAUCUS UPDATES
On December 15th, the ESA Flexibility Act was reintroduced by Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Vice Chair Pete Stauber (MN-08).
If signed into law, this bill would allow for more slack when coming to resolutions concerning endangered species. In particular, this would benefit landowners who have to make compromises to abide by the Endangered Species Act.
While endangered species should continue to be protected, there is balance to be found between sensible conservation and building our nation’s infrastructure and businesses.
Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (WY) and Chairman Emirates Steve Daines (MT) sent a letter to the EPA firmly requesting that smoke be tracked and accounted for during prescribed fires.
Prescribed fires are a necessity when it comes to proper forest management and the prevention of wild fires, but the smoke from prescribed fires is a hinderance to western Americans and their daily lives. Accounting for and reducing smoke in western air is a great step forward in ensuring clean air for our friends in the west.