Deadline: right now, it’ll soon be too late –
Worldwide, a million plant and animal species are on the brink of extinction, and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does NOT go far enough to protect many of those species in this country. On International Biodiversity Day (May 22, 2019) Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Extinction Prevention Act of 2019 (H.R. 2918) to strengthen protections for some of the most imperiled wildlife species in the United States.
Among other purposes, the Act would “create dedicated funds to conserve butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest United States.” It would provide millions of dollars to fund on-the-ground projects to conserve species, protect ecosystems, and address threats to species survival. It would also authorize $5 million annually for conservation projects for each species group, including restoration, protection of ecosystems, research and monitoring of populations, and much more.
What you can do:
1. Call your representative and urge them to cosponsor the Extinction Prevention Act. As of this writing, none of our East Bay reps has signed on.
What to say to your Representative:
My name is ____, my zip code is ____, and I’m a member of Indivisible East Bay. Please cosponsor and speak out publicly in support of H.R. 2918, the Extinction Prevention Act of 2019. Over a million species worldwide are on the brink of extinction, and the Endangered Species Act does not go far enough to protect many of those in our country.
- Rep. Mark DeSaulnier: (email); (510) 620-1000 • DC: (202) 225-2095
- Rep. Barbara Lee: (email); (510) 763-0370 • DC: (202) 225-2661
- Rep. Eric Swalwell: (email); (510) 370-3322 • DC: (202) 225-5065
2. Spread the word to your friends outside of the East Bay! First, they can check whether their representative is already a cosponsor. If so, they should thank them; if not, they should urge their Rep to speak out and cosponsor using the call script above.
The dinosaurs are all gone. Let’s keep today’s species alive.
Featured photo “Young California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) ready for flight” by Scott Frier, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Read more about the California condor here.
Graph “Species extinction rates” by GRID Arendal
Graphic “Compsognathus” by Orin Zebest
