As U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Determines Whether to Add Northern Long-Eared Bat to Endangered Species List, Klobuchar, Ayotte Lead Bipartisan Effort Urging Agency to Minimize Economic Impacts on Affected Industries

Press Release

As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determines whether to add the Northern Long-Eared Bat to the endangered species list, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) led a bipartisan group of 13 senators in urging the Service to minimize economic impacts on affected industries. USFWS is considering adding the northern long-eared bat to the endangered species list due to the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. Adding the bat to the endangered species list could negatively impact local economies that depend on the timber industry because it could prohibit harvesting timber from April 1 to September 30 each year to protect the bat's habitat. In a letter to USFWS Director Dan Ashe, the senators urged the Service to issue a rule under Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) concurrently with any threatened listing in order to provide flexible and practical solutions for affected industries.

"As I travel across Minnesota, I have heard from loggers, construction workers, and miners who are concerned that an endangered species listing for the northern long-eared bat could have a negative impact on the state's economy," Klobuchar said. "That is why I have called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with local stakeholders to help minimize the challenges that they would face should the northern long-eared bat be listed. If done right, we can preserve the northern long-eared bat while ensuring our local industries continue to thrive."

"Forestry is an important part of New Hampshire's economy, and we need to ensure that federal guidelines don't unnecessarily restrict the timber and forest products industry in our state," said Senator Ayotte. "Working together, I'm hopeful we can find a solution that will preserve the northern long-eared bat without negatively impacting the health of our forests and local economy."

Klobuchar and Ayotte were joined in their letter by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Dan Coats (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Susan Collins (D-ME), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Al Franken (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and John Thune (R-SD).

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