by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel Last summer a federal judge in California vacated a series of Trump-era rules on enforcement of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It was a disappointment to many who had worked for years on several relatively modest reforms to make the cumbersome [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel The New York Times recently opined that the endangered species law could be used to stop oil and gas production nationwide, because no matter where the drilling is, it contributes to climate change everywhere. Thus, sea turtles in Florida or monk [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel The “butterfly metaphor” describes the need for people and organizations to change their ways, thinking differently about the way things have always been. It is fitting in the halls of government, where the status quo is paramount, and pundits joke about [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel Old timers who manage ditches, head gates and canals often mention the “head of water.” It refers, somewhat imprecisely, to an amount of water needed to force its movement over various distances. A bigger hayfield requires a bigger “head of water” [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel A disturbing photo topped the June 15 New York Times article, supposedly graphic evidence that the Earth is dying, starting with its cutest animals. It is a compelling picture, although the message is as misleading as it is powerful. It shows [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel I couldn’t help thinking about my friend, the late Harry Talbott, this week when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated nearly 300,000 acres as critical habitat for the yellow-billed cuckoo. Harry was a conservation icon, not only because of [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel The interior least tern almost disappeared from the landscape by the time it was added to the federal endangered species list in 1985. One reason was that they don’t hide their nests, but foolishly build them right out on open beaches, [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel When is natural evolution acceptable? Should we generally let nature take its course, or stage an intervention? Apparently, one’s answer depends on one’s political agenda. When Northern gray wolves migrate into Rocky Mountain wolves’ turf, that’s OK, nature taking its course. [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel In 1998 the government added “Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse” to the endangered species list, a decision that has cost Front Range communities millions. The state argued that this “subspecies” is no different than ordinary field mice everywhere. A respected geneticist at [...]
by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow As appearing in the Daily Sentinel One of the great objectives of conservation is to restore a more natural condition to our environment, to erase the ravages of mankind’s mistakes, and put things back the way they were. I am a strong advocate for environmental restoration, and [...]
