Frank Pallone: “H.R. 478 is an extreme and environmentally dangerous bill that expands the waiver of the Endangered Species Act…”

“H.R. 478 is an extreme and environmentally dangerous bill that expands the waiver of the Endangered Species Act requirements to a broad range of nonemergency situations. This bill would allow for an ESA waiver for the daily routine maintenance and repair of any existing flood project anywhere in the Nation. This exemption would apply to all projects, Federal and non-Federal, at any time regardless of flood threat. H.R. 478 would subject large tracts of land to environmental hazards and damage by denying them the protection of the ESA. The Boehlert-Fazio substitute is a bipartisan substitute that is in response to this excessive measure. The substitute allows for ESA exemptions to true emergencies including prospective emergencies. H.R. 478 proposes extreme sweeping changes to the ESA legislation, changes which I cannot endorse. The Boehlert-Fazio substitute allows us to address emergency repairs and gives us the opportunity to debate broader ESA issues at a later date. I am very much in support of the Boehlert-Fazio substitute for this reason.”