Here's an email I received today from Senator Dodd:
October 2, 2008 Dear Ms. Zajac:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Bush Administration's proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
I strongly support the Animal Welfare Act and similar measures that strengthen regulations relating to the care, handling, and treatment of animals. I believe that animals should not be forced to experience needless pain and suffering and have worked to advance legislation to protect animals throughout my career in public service. I have also long supported efforts to protect some of the world's most vulnerable species from extinction.
Like you, I am very concerned about the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act recently announced by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. These draft regulations would seriously undermine the protections of the ESA by eliminating the independent scientific reviews currently required to determine whether federal construction and energy exploration projects are harmful to endangered species. The proposed changes are inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the law and are contradicted by judicial precedent. On August 25, 2008, I joined with several of my colleagues in writing to Secretary Kempthorne requesting that he either rescind this proposal or increase the comment period on these regulatory changes from thirty days to six months. While Secretary Kempthorne recently announced that he would extend the comment period on these regulations to sixty days, I believe this is an insufficient length of time to fully review the scope of the proposed regulations and I remain concerned about the possible impacts they could have on our nation's wildlife. Please be assured that I will continue to support policies that protect all living creatures.
Thank you again for contacting me. If you would like to stay in touch with me on this and other issues of importance, please visit my website at http://dodd.senate.gov and subscribe to receive my regular e-mail issue alerts. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if I can be of assistance to you in any way.
Sincerely,
CHRISTOPHER J. DODD
United States Senator
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