Comment from ROUSH, KIMBERLY
KIMBERLY ROUSHOpposeAdvocacy
Summary: The American Bird Conservancy opposes the proposed permit and habitat conservation plan, arguing that it would allow for the injury and death of the threatened Marbled Murrelet. The commenter emphasizes the critical decline of the species and calls for stronger protections and a focus on preserving breeding habitats from logging and pesticide use.
In researching the status of the Marbled Murrelet I do not see how you can justify legally allowing injury and death of a THREATENED species under the Endangered Species Act. The Marbled Murrelet population declined more than half, a dramatic drop in just 50 years. The American Bird Conservancy estimates no more than 280,00 birds remain.
ABC continues to advocate for stronger support for Marbled Murrelet conservation through uplisting the species from Threatened to Endangered.
We need to remain focused on the acute crisis and long term health of this species: Not disturbing its breeding habitat yet again, most likely sending the species into further decline.
On top of that, very toxic pesticides are used in logging situations. Pesticides affect all species.
I do not think there is any wiggle room in the forests of the Northwest coastal region of California to conveniently break the law voted into existence by Congress in 1973 to protect declining species such as the Marbled Murrelet.
Consult the attached map from the American Bird Conservancy.
