Wyoming Governor To Testify On ESA In Washington
Wyoming's Governor will be headed to Washington D.C. to testify about changes to the Endangered Species Act. Wyoming's U.S. Senator John Barrasso, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, says he is inviting Governor Matt Mead to testify before the committee on modernizing the Endangered Species Act.
“Governor Mead has been a leader on the Endangered Species Act. He has worked with governors from across the West – both Republicans and Democrats – to put forward needed changes to the law,” said Barrasso. “The bipartisan Western Governors’ Association has made recommendations on how the ESA can be improved. The law needs to work better for species and for people. Wyoming is leading the way when it comes to species conservation. I look forward to Governor Mead’s testimony and working with him to modernize and strengthen the Endangered Species Act.”
Mead is scheduled to testify on July 17, 2018 on the discussion draft of the Endangered Species Act Amendments of 2018 that was released by Barrasso in efforts to, he says, strengthen the ESA.
Barrasso released the draft, which reauthorizes the ESA for the first time since 1992, earlier this month. According to Barrasso's office, the discussion draft "emphasizes elevating the role of states and increasing transparency in the implementation of the ESA. It also prioritizes resources to better meet its conservation goals and provides regulatory certainty to promote conservation and recovery activities. The draft legislation has received broad support from stakeholders, state and local governments, and conservation organizations."