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The ESA: “Fix It – or Junk It” - Endangered Species Act charged with endangering health and well-being of humans 9/23/02
U.S. District Court Judge James Parker ruled in April that the Bureau of Land Management can and must use all water within its control for the needs of the Rio Grande silvery minnow after six environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the BLM in 1999. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez has refused to allow the release of city-owned water saying: “It is essentially water from the mouths of our children.” Water is in short supply because of the extended drought and because of “profligate” (wasteful) releases for habitat enhancement for the silvery minnow over the last three years, according to the Journal. The Bureau is required under the Endangered Species Act to keep the water flowing continuously and if that means taking it away from the taxpayers who have paid $45 million to maintain a secure supply of the precious stuff, then so be it. Mayor Chávez promised to appeal any decision to take its San Juan-Chama water. “This has got to go to the Supreme Court. This is our future,” he said. The Journal contends that Congress must enact legislation to exempt the operation of federal water projects from the ESA. “New Mexico’s experience with the silvery minnow makes clear that the Endangered Species Act is fatally flawed. Congress should fix it – or junk it.”
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