The committee first adopted an amendment by Chair Martin Causer that changed some of the particularly noxious aspects of HB 1576, but leaves intact the core proposal that threatens the longstanding ability of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission to manage Pennsylvania's wildlife without political interference.
The decision to list a species under state law as threatened or endangered, or to designate a stream as a wild trout stream, is now made by the scientists and wildlife experts based on good science. HB 1576 would inject politics and subject the state listing designations to a cumbersome and lengthy regulatory review process involving persons with no particular expertise in science or wildlife conservation.
You would certainly want a trained medical professional to determine whether your child was sick and in need of medical assistance. Why would we want persons lacking any expertise in wildlife science to make a scientific decision - whether the population of a species of animal is in need of special conservation measures to survive, or whether a stream consists of such a high quality that it is capable of supporting wild trout? These decisions should remain the responsibility of scientists and not politicians.
Thanks and spanks
The vote to approve House Bill 1576 was 16 to 8. PennFuture thanks the eight committee members who opposed the bill, especially the three Republicans who bucked their majority chair. I was especially impressed with the passionate and cogent opposition of Rep. Keith Gillespie of York County.
Below is a list of the members voting no. Please send a note of thanks if you see your state representative on this list:
Keith Gillespie, R-York; Marcia Hahn, R-Northampton; Mike Peifer, R-Pike; Frank Farina, D-Lackawanna; Kevin Haggerty, D-Lackawanna; Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette; Gerald Mullery, D-Luzerne; and Jesse White, D-Washington.
Below is the list of members voting yes. Please call or e-mail with your disapproval if you see your state representative on this list or share this list if you have friends in their districts.
Martin Causer, R-Potter; Jim Cox, R-Berks; Joe Emrick; R-Northampton; Hal English, R-Allegheny; Garth Everett, R-Lycoming; Mindy Fee, R-Lancaster; Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon; Mark Keller, R-Perry; Greg Lucas, R-Erie; David Maloney, R-Berks; Dan Moul, R-Adams; John Galloway, D-Bucks; Gary Haluska, D-Cambria; Marc Gergely, D-Allegheny; Deb Kula, D-Fayette; and Pam Snyder, D-Greene.
The House Republican leadership could schedule a floor vote on HB 1576 as early as Tuesday, November 19. Conservation, hunting, angling and environmental organizations across Pennsylvania are working hard to defeat this bill, but more state representatives and state senators need to hear from concerned citizens in their districts. Stay tuned for further information.
