Laserfiche WebLink
Lastly, I want to discuss the species itself and the proposed critical habitat <br />designation. I want this committee to know that I believe the Endangered Species <br />Act, as conceived, is an important and meaningful piece of legislation. I support <br />protecting endangered species and their habitat when it is truly in the interest of <br />the species and does not come at an undue price to the public. <br />However, much of this proposed designation for critical habitat for piping <br />plovers is not appropriate. Historical data indicates that this species was never <br />very abundant on the central Platte and in fact may never even have nested in this <br />region until after water development activities took place. Evidence exists today <br />that in much of the area proposed for designation, piping plovers have never <br />nested. Indeed, except for sand pits and other artificially created habitat which are <br />specifically excluded from the designation, there have been no piping plovers <br />nesting above Grand Island, Nebraska, for over 10 years. This is not critical <br />habitat either in fact or by the Services standards applied elsewhere in the <br />designation. If there are natural habitats where nesting has regularly occurred then <br />those areas should be specifically defined as provided in the law and then properly <br />designated. Blanket designation of large un- described reaches of land without any <br />nesting violates the law and further undermines the credibility of the Fish and <br />Wildlife Service. <br />I thank you for this opportunity to provide input into this important <br />process, and for your time. <br />