WASHINGTON - September 28 - More than 70 agriculture, birding, religious, pesticide, farm worker and farm safety organizations railed against Congressman Pombo’s attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act today. The groups signed two joint letters to members of Congress in advance of a vote on the Pombo bill, slated for this Thursday. A new provision added to the bill exempts all pesticide decisions from Endangered Species Act compliance and eliminates the requirement that the EPA consult with federal wildlife agencies to approve pesticides.

"History has told us that pesticides have had a deadly impact on many endangered species. We almost lost the bald eagle, our national symbol, to the pesticide DDT," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "This bill would dramatically weaken the government’s ability to stop pesticide use even when necessary to prevent extinction."

"Decades of research revealing the insidious effects of pesticides on humans and wildlife are being deliberately ignored. This bill could lead not only to a serious setback for wildlife but could create a major public health problem as well," said Theo Colborn, President of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, Inc. and one of the signers of the letter.

Not only does the bill eliminate important safeguards, it exempts all pesticide users from responsibility if their use harms a threatened or endangered species.

"Without existing checks and balances on pesticide use, the effect on wildlife could be devastating, and humans could be hurt as well as toxic pesticides are applied by farm laborers, and make their way into our nation’s streams, rivers and food supply," said Schlickeisen.

Pesticides like DDT played a major role in the decline of the bald eagle, peregrine falcon and brown pelican. It is estimated that pesticides kill more than 67 million birds in the United States every year. Under current law, pesticide use is monitored and mitigated in ways that benefit not just birds and other wildlife, but water quality and human health as well. These safeguards would end if this bill is passed.

For a copy of the letter and the list of groups that signed, see http://www.saveesa.org/signon.html