************** NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN NEWS **************
Some good news!
The ban on studies of outsourcing for fiscal 2004 was passed by the House on July 18. See note from one of the Forest Service unions.
Thanks to all who wrote letters, e mails or phoned on this important resource management issue. See also the letter to Congress by NPCC and other groups on this issue. Both are pasted below.
Now we move onto the Senate.
Some bad news:
Unfortunately, several other pro-science and pro-environment amendments failed, including amendments that would have protected roadless areas on public lands and would have blocked implementation of the Administration’s regressive National Forest Management Act regulations.
We will send out more information on the Interior bill, including on funding levels for plant conservation and recovery programs, as it becomes available.
ACTION:
Meanwhile, continue to let your elected representatives, now particularly in the Senate, know that there is a strong, vocal constituency for native plant science and conservation and that programs supporting these activities should be fully funded! That includes threatened, endangered and sensitive species programs in the Forest Service and BLM and listing and recovery programs in the Fish and Wildlife Service.
You can contact your senators at www.congress.org Enter your ZIP code to find your Senators.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Native Plant Conservation Campaign*Natural Resources Defense Council*Defenders of Wildlife*Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility*Endangered Species Coalition
To Whom It May Concern:
The undersigned organizations are writing to express our support for Section 335 of the House FY 2004 Interior Appropriations bill. Section 335 will block funding for competitive sourcing analyses in the USDA Forest Service and related agencies within the Department of the Interior.
There are a number of important problems with the President’s competitive sourcing initiative. Federal resource management professionals are invaluable to the proper management and conservation of this nation’s public lands, waters, plants and wildlife. Critical functions that are currently performed by public employees with years of scientific training, detailed understanding of environmental laws and agency procedures, and site specific experience may be shifted to less qualified private firms and individuals. Public employees are accountable only to their employers, the taxpayers of the United States. In contrast, private firms are accountable to their owners and boards of directors, as well as to clients. This may cause firms to cut costs and quality of work and may also create conflicts of interest that put public resources at risk.
Further, the Administration is requiring taxpayers to bear the cost of the determinations regarding which staff and functions are suitable for outsourcing. The costs of these determinations may reach tens of millions of dollars.
For all of these reasons, we agree with the authors of Section 335 that the competitive sourcing program should be put on hold for FY 2004 pending a full examination of its costs and benefits. We ask that you support this sensible and fiscally prudent proposal. Thank you for considering our views.
Sincerely,
Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.
Director
Native Plant Conservation Campaign
Jeff Ruch
Executive Director
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Mary Beth Beetham
Legislative Director
Defenders of Widlife
Beth Lowell
Policy Director
Endangered Species Coalition
Johanna Wald
Public Lands Program Director
Natural Resources Defense Council
_____________________
Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.
Director
Native Plant Conservation Campaign
*NEW ADDRESS*
2707 K Street, Suite 1
Sacramento 95816
Phone: 415 970 0394
E-MAIL: EMILYR@cnps.org
The mission of the NPCC is to promote appreciation and conservation of native plant species and communities through collaboration, education, law, policy, land use and management.
The NPCC is a project of the Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society.