Manatee's Protected Species Status In Danger Because Of A Libertarian Boat Group

[n2doc]

The West Indian manatee has been a protected species in Florida since 1967, and an endangered animal since the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Now thanks to a petition and lawsuit by the conservative libertarian group the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), all that could change.

The PLF is urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to downgrade the manatee’s status to threatened, thereby loosening the restrictions on the water inhabited by the manatee.

The PLF is representing an organization called Save Crystal River, who acts as an environmental group but based on their website is more concerned with promoting recreational water-based pastimes that have been limited by the Endangered Species Act.

"Traditional enjoyment of Florida’s natural resources and waterways have been vital historic components of our community," the Save Crystal River site says, boasting that everything from fishing to paddle boating are part of the "valued Florida-wide recreational lifestyle."

If the organization can convince the FWS to downgrade the manatee's protected status, they will be able to open up the river to new areas of exploitation.

more

https://www.thedodo.com/-fellows-pitch-group-wants-to--637536796.html

Self-centered assholes

[starroute]

1. The Pacific Legal Foundation has a long and nasty history

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pacific_Legal_Foundation

The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) was established in 1973-74 by a group of attorneys from California's Justice Department (then under the control of Attorney-General Ed Meese) to counter reform of the welfare system, and the liberal public interest legal groups that were pressing for better environmental and health regulations. Especially targeted were the Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Governor Ronald Reagan of California appears to have provided the required financial links to Pittsburg billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife who funded the initial office in Sacramento, and his friend and counsellor, Ed Meese (III) became one of the founders and its chief supporter. Its expressed aim was to use its financial and litigation power to "impact the public policy agenda."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Legal_Foundation

PLF's property rights cases have focused on regulatory takings. ... PLF's environmental law litigation has frequently involved challenges to federal regulation of private property under the Clean Water Act or the Endangered Species Act. For example, PLF attorneys represented a Minnesota property owner who was denied the right to build on his property in Contoski v. Scarlett, a case that resulted in the removal of the bald eagle from the endangered species list.

[gejohnston]

2. I dealt with these people

When I'm not home in Wyoming, I'm in this area.
I wouldn't call them libertarians even though they went to a libertarian group. Most of them don't know what a libertarian actually is.
Basically, they are powerboat owners who don't like the no wake zones in Kings Bay. Most of them are what I call colonists rather than transplants. They left the northeast and the rust belt to "live the Florida lifestyle" by shopping at Bealls trying to turn the place Long Island south void of alligators, blacks, or rednecks. No, I don't actually like many of them but have been able to work with them in saving The Three Sisters springs from developers. On this issue, they have their head up their ass.
Oh, this is my side of the issue
http://www.savethemanatee.org/ta_SCR_downlisting_petition_12-12.html