Idaho Legislature Supports Crapo ESA Bill

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo expressed his appreciation to members of the Idaho Legislature today following final passage of HJM 16. The joint memorial, passed today in the Idaho Senate and last week by the Idaho House, emphasizes legislative support for Crapoâ??s efforts to reform the Endangered Species Act by means of collaboration, incentives, and an emphasis on species recovery and a greater role for the states under ESA.â??I am honored to hear my fellow Idahoans in the Idaho Legislature join in support of a message of collaboration, recovery with priorities, and incentives as a way to improve the ESA,â?? Crapo said. â??We need the input of states and landowners in species recovery and this bill encourages that input. More and more people are agreeing we need to put our efforts into on-the-ground collaborative work and not into arguments and lawsuits. The result will be better for people and better for species.â??HJM 16, which was sponsored by Senate Resources & Environment Committee Chairman Gary Schroeder, House Resources & Conservation Committee Chairman John A. â??Bertâ?? Stevenson, and Representative Clete Edmundson, underscores the commitment of Idahoans to protect species and favors the landowner incentives put forth in Crapoâ??s bill. S. 2110, the Collaboration for the Recovery of the Endangered Species Act (CRESA), remains the Senateâ??s only bipartisan effort to improve the ESA. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) is Crapoâ??s original co-sponsor on the measure.â??We support the efforts of Senator Mike Crapo to reform and improve the Endangered Species Act through the enactment of CRESA, and promote species conservation and preservation within the State of Idaho and the United States of America,â?? said Idaho Senators and Representatives in passing HJM 16.â??I deeply appreciate the support of all the sponsors of the measure and thank both Senate Pro Tem Bob Geddes and House Speaker Bruce Newcomb for their support as we try in Congress to make needed improvements in the ESA that will benefit species and make states and private landowners larger partners in recovery efforts,â?? Crapo said. The bill is awaiting a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.# # #