Bill Text: GA HR578 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: United States Fish and Wildlife Service; scientific study in Etowah River Basin; request

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 6)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-03-30 - House Passed/Adopted [HR578 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HR578-Introduced.html

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09 LC 94 0723

House Resolution 578

By: Representatives Loudermilk of the 14th, Graves of the 12th, Dempsey of the 13th, Amerson of the 9th, Hill of the 21st, and others

A RESOLUTION

Requesting that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service conduct further scientific study in the Etowah River Basin, perform the mandatory five-year review of all federally listed species, and develop an Environmental Impact Statement before further review of the Etowah Aquatic Habitat Conservation Plan; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, high water quality protection standards are of concurrent benefit to human and animal populations and are a recognized objective of the people and elected representatives of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, the Etowah Aquatic Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is an effort by the University of Georgia River Basin Center requesting participation of local governments in the Etowah River Basin area to establish development regulations across eight counties and 13 municipalities covering approximately one million acres; and

WHEREAS, these regulations are possibly the most stringent in the United States for a suburban metropolitan area and are being proposed in a state which is already leading by example with some of the highest water quality protection standards and best practice methods in the country; and

WHEREAS, since 2002, regulations have been developed under the guise of protecting three federally listed fish species, the Etowah Darter, the Cherokee Darter, and the Amber Darter, each of which was added to the endangered species list after limited initial research and which are believed to exist in greater numbers now, in spite of concurrent human activity in the basin; and

WHEREAS, no aquatic HCP exists for any other suburban metropolitan area in the United States, and the economic impact and burden of the Etowah Aquatic HCP to property owners and participating local governments is not well studied and needs further description in official HCP documents; and
WHEREAS, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is required under federal regulations to perform a five-year status review for each species listed as endangered to ascertain progress toward recovery or increased threats suggesting decline in population, yet none of the three above-named species has ever had such fundamental review, despite being listed for over 20 years; and

WHEREAS, an objective and properly conducted five-year review is anticipated to show that each species exists in a greater number of locations with larger populations than at the time of listing, and such a showing would demonstrate that existing regulations and current practice in site design and erosion control measures have already had a beneficial effect on the species; and

WHEREAS, an Environmental Impact Statement would address the economic impact of the proposed regulations, as well as provide additional scientific data assessing the current status of the three species.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body request that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service conduct further scientific review within the Etowah River Basin by performing the mandatory five-year status update prior to further consideration of any Etowah Aquatic HCP related decisions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is requested to perform an Environmental Impact Statement to assess the potential environmental benefits and accompanying economic impact of the Etowah Aquatic HCP.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that local governments who have participated in the HCP should consider fully the economic impact of adopting this regulatory framework and should request that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service carry out these studies before further HCP review.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House or Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.