First they wanted my mice, now they want my cows, too...
 These are not Jeff's cows photo by Clint Gilders - Staff Photographer |
By her own definition House Delegate Madeleine Bordallo (Guam) wants to take away my cows until I can prove that they are not a threat.
In her new bill, H.R. 6311, the Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act introduced on June 16, 2008, she wants "to prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species that negatively impact the economy, environment, or human or animal species' health, and for other purposes." But in her zeal to protect us from an "invasion" of non-native species she casts her net widely, wildly, and poorly.
Her plan, put simply, is to create two lists that between them include every species of animal in the world. One list would contain species permitted to be imported into the United States; the other list would contain species not permitted to be imported into the United States.
The only animals not appearing on the lists would be animals considered "native" to the United States. Only animals meeting specific criteria -- animals proven to not "negatively impact the economy, environment, or human or animal species' health" would be added to the "approved" list. Eventually people already in possession of animals on the "not permitted" list would be required to dispose of those animals or risk criminal penalties.
How does she define "non-native wildlife"?
" (4) NONNATIVE WILDLIFE SPECIES- The term `nonnative wildlife species'--
(A) except as provided in subparagraph (C), means any species of animal that is not a native species, whether or not raised in captivity;
(B) except as provided in subparagraph (C), includes--
(i) any such species of mammal, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, insect, mollusk and crustacean, arthropod, coelenterate, or other invertebrate, and
(ii) any egg or offspring thereof; and
(C) does not include any species specifically defined or regulated as a plant pest under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) or as a threat to livestock or poultry under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.).
Let's take a look at some animals that meet that definition....
Cows, horses, chickens, domesticated house cats, goldfish, most pet fish, many pet reptiles, hamsters, gerbils and other rodents, most cage birds, etc. etc. The list of animals is literally endless, as new species are literally described every day. I doubt that they could all be categorized on the internet accurately, much less physically printed in the Federal Register, as would be required. That issue of the register alone would run to thousands of pages and would be obsolete before it even came off the presses.
Now I am certain that cows will end up on the "permitted" list through some type of waiver or exclusion. Americans love beef and the cattle industry is powerful. But by the definitions included in the bill cows are among the worst offenders when it comes to damaging the environment and shouldn't be excluded. Horses, probably the first non-native wildlife species to be accidentally introduced to North America, will probably be there with an exclusion as well. Nonetheless, there is certainly no argument that wild horses are damaging to the environment, so much so that the government is again trying to kill more of them this year to keep their population under control.
This sweeping new bill would shut down the pet industry if enacted into law as written, according to testimony by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council's Marshall Meyers. In his response to the House Natural Resources Committee on June 26, 2008, Meyers warned:
"If enacted as drafted, HR 6311 would force the Fish and Wildlife Service into a managerial nightmare. It would have to shut down a number of industries dependent upon nonnative species -- such as the pet industry, food aquaculture, and sports fishing.
Reptile and rodent owners in Texas have already had a taste of life under a "two list" system for animals, and it wasn't sweet. Last year when the state implemented new wildlife regulations, there there was a "permitted" and a "prohibited" list. When first released the state "accidentally" listed the common pet mouse and corn snake on the prohibited list, causing a hue and cry among the owners of those pets, who woke up one morning to find that they were violating the law.
The lists created defacto protections with no scientific evidence or reason for hundreds of animals such as all the state's endemic rat species with little to no input from the public -- and those lists remain flawed to this day.
I would encourage everyone who has a pet cat, bird, fish, or reptile, or anyone who likes to fish, ride horses, or have the occasional hamburger to look over HR 6311 and contact its author and sponsors with your input. Details on how to do that under the jump.
H.R. 6311 - Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act
Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]
Co-Sponsors
Rep. Neil Abercrombie [D-HI]
Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL]
Rep. Dale Kildee [D-MI]
Rep. Ronald Kind [D-WI]
Rep. Ron Klein [D-FL]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D-MN]
