A White Paper: Endangered Species Act of 1973

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03- 373 -35413 EPEE _ -M DISCUSSION OF DEBATE ISSUES 731 P05 MAR 31 :0:4,S • Species versus Biodiversity. Do we, as a nation, want to continue attempting to save each species and sub- species, relying on habitat preservation, or do we want to maintain examples of the biodiversity by preserving entire ecosystems? If one or both of the bills promoting biodiversity currently before Congress pass prior to the ESA's reauthorization, the debate should center around the redundancy of saving ecosystems and single species. If such a law passes, the specific arguments can be framed around the requirements of that act. However, a national debate about the presumed value of preserving biodiversity may be beneficial prior to consideration of such bills.. -,a • Can we, as a nation, afford the Endangered Species Act? The full costs - to the federal budget and the social costs to the nation - must be disclosed for intelligent debates on the impacts of the Act. Budget costs • It would cost $4.6 billion to fully implement the Endangered Species Act, according to a report by the Department of Interior Inspector General's Office. • This cost will be increased with each listing of a new species and implementation of a recovery plan. The government should also anticipate the costs of defending its actions and decisions in court. sod ial costs • Such costs would include unemployment caused by a listing, diminished services by local governments due to reduced tax revenues, reduced housing, food and recreational opportunities. Examples include: Northern Spotted Owl According to a report prepared by The Scientific Panel on Late Successional Forest Ecosystems, headed by a quartet of respected foresters, academics and scientists: "Cost to the Northwest - 30,000 to 56,000 jobs and $940 million to $2.6 billion in personal income, if a middle range option that ranged from a high timber- harvest plan that would doom the owl and its old- growth habitat to a pure conservation plan that would doom timber - dependent Northwestern towns. " University of Washington researchers predict severe social and political strain if courts and federal agencies sharply cut back logging to protect the spotted owl. "Preventive health -care programs, law enforcement, youth services and community museums and parks would be most adversely impacted by revenue reductions. " -3-