Valadao, Endangered Species Act Working Group Host Congressional Forum
Press Release
Yesterday, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Congressional Working Group, of which Congressman David G. Valadao is a member of, held a forum entitled, "Reviewing 40 Years of the Endangered Species Act and Seeking Improvement for People and Species."
The ESA Working Group meets and hosts events, forums, and hearings throughout the year to discuss and gather input on ways in which the ESA is working well, how it can be updated, and how to boost its effectiveness.
Thursday's forum featured a diverse group of individuals who testified on different aspects of the ESA, its impacts on species and people over the last 40 years, and potential improvements going forward.
Congressman Valadao was proud to host Maria Gutierrez, a Central Valley resident, at the panel where Ms. Gutierrez addressed the group on behalf of El Agua Asunto de Todos (Water is Everybody's Business), a grass roots organization working in California's Central Valley to raise awareness of the impacts of ESA caused water shortages on the Hispanic community.
Congressman Valadao stated, "Learning how different areas of the country are affected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is crucial to fully understanding the positives and negatives of the legislation. It is also an important part of having an informed discussion on how best to strengthen the ESA through reforms. My District suffers greatly under ESA regulations that prevent communities from getting the water they need to meet their agricultural and everyday needs. I am grateful Ms. Gutierrez was able to share insight from the Central Valley and from the Hispanic community with my colleagues from across the nation. I look forward to utilizing this information as my colleagues and I work together to do what's best for our constituents."
Information gathered from the forum will be examined to develop criteria to effectively measure ESA progress, define its successes; determine if the ESA is working to achieve its goals; identify the impacts of litigation; analyze the role of state and local governments in recovering species; identify opportunities for public engagement and input; and more.
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