Bush Administration Considers Blocking Investigation Into Migratory Bird Law Violations

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Bush Administration Considers Blocking Investigation Into Migratory

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TO NATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

Bush Administration Considers Blocking Investigation Into Migratory

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON, May. 12 -/E-Wire/-- Amid celebrations of International Migratory Bird Day, Saturday, May 12, 2001, the U.S. is considering blocking a NAFTA-related investigation aimed at developing more effective protections for migratory birds. According to EPA officials, the Bush Administration is considering reversing an earlier United States decision to examine the effectiveness of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service efforts to protect migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

In a January 19, 2001 letter to the Canadian and Mexican environmental ministers, the United States expressed its intent to support a recommendation by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation to further investigate allegations, brought by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and eight other environmental groups, that the U.S. is allowing logging operations to kill migratory birds without the necessary permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Last week, at a meeting of the National Advisory Committee to NAFTA, an EPA official informed the Committee that the U.S. was reconsidering its earlier position to support continuing the investigation.

Despite scientific research detailing that nests of migratory birds are destroyed by timber harvests, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has never issued a permit to a logging operation exempting it from the law.

Migratory birds are some of the most beautiful, observable, and remarkable wildlife. Migratory birds are also important economic resources, controlling insect pests and generating billions in recreational dollars. Unfortunately, research has shown that many migratory birds species are in decline, primarily due to decreasing habitat.

In its submission, filed under the environmental side agreement to NAFTA, the groups suggest that a record of facts could be used to develop a more workable and effective approach to protecting migratory birds from logging activities. Chris Wold of CIEL notes, "Our goal is not to stop timber harvesting, but to develop the facts to gain a more thoughtful application of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."

It is the United States' first opportunity under the NAFTA environmental side agreement to evaluate its own efforts to enforce environmental laws. The US has in five previous instances voted in favor of examining environmental enforcement efforts by the Mexican and Canadian governments. Serena Williams, of the Joint Public Advisory Committee to NAFTA, suggested that the change in position might have implications for the larger free trade debate. "If the U.S. can't vote in favor of the first submission against it, after voting four previous times for submissions against its partners under NAFTA, the integrity of NAFTA's environmental side agreement and perhaps future trade agreements is in jeopardy."

Center for International Environmental Law

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