OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

Date: July 13, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Agriculture and Food Animals and Wildlife

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of my amendment. My amendment would bar implementation of a Federal court decision issued on March 29, 2016, that stopped implementation of the 2014 U.S. Fish and Wildlife's decision to issue an Environmental Assessment extension for the issuance of depredation permits for double-crested cormorants.

Since 1998, Fish and Wildlife has allowed the issuance of depredation permits for cormorants that threaten commercially raised fish stocks.

In 2003, Fish and Wildlife issued the Public Resource Depredation Order through a final Environmental Impact Statement which allowed for the Federal Government, State officials, and tribal leaders to take cormorants found committing depredations of public supplies of fish.

Environmental Assessments in 2009 and 2014 renewed both of these depredation orders. On March 29, 2016, the U.S. Court for the District of Columbia issued a decision stopping implementation of the 2014 Environmental Assessment extension as a result of a special interest lawsuit.

In the meantime, Fish and Wildlife Service is beginning a new Environmental Assessment, but new depredation permits are not being issued to many farmers whose fish stocks are being depleted by cormorant populations. This is leading to considerable losses for farmers. Farmers are constantly living on the margin and just getting by.

My amendment prevents the use of funds by Fish and Wildlife for the enforcement of the March 29, 2016, court decision. It ensures that a successful depredation program continues so that our farmers continue to farm and feed America.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from California, Chairman Calvert, for the opportunity to offer this amendment. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Let's stand up for small farmers in our communities who find themselves under constant pressure economically. They should not have to compete with bad rulings from activist judges.

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