Gop Splits Over Endangered Species Act Eastern Republicans Say Act Is Important, Introduce Bill To Counter Sen. Gorton’s

A handful of Eastern Republicans are mounting opposition to Western GOP leaders’ proposal to weaken the Endangered Species Act.

“The Endangered Species Act is a powerful tool for maintaining biodiversity and preserving ecosystems,” said Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md., a former school teacher.

Gilchrest and Rep. Connie Morella, R-Md., introduced a bill in the House last week that would maintain most of the fish and wildlife protections in the 22-year-old act.

Unlike the Westerners’ proposal, they would continue to ban destruction of threatened and endangered species’ habitat, even on private lands.

Under the bolder reform proposal backed by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman of the House Resources Committee, and Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., privately owned habitat largely would be exempted and some currently protected species moved off the list.

Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., has introduced a bill with many of the same concepts in the Senate. He too wants to change the definition of “harm” prohibited in the act so as to exclude protection of a species’ habitat on private land.

Rep. James Saxton, R-N.J., said during a hearing on the Young-Pombo bill last week that private lands sometimes hold the key to survival.

“Habitat protection is necessary for many, in fact most, species,” Saxton said.

Other Republicans signed on as co-sponsors of the Gilchrest-Morella bill so far are Sherwood Boehlert of New York, Michael Castle of Delaware, Christopher Shays of Connecticut and Jim Greenwood and Curt Weldon, both of Pennsylvania.

Environmentalists said they were encouraged by the crack in GOP support for dramatic changes in the act. Gilchrest has offered “a true alternative” to the Young-Pombo bill, said John Kostyack, a lawyer for the National Wildlife Federation.

“Although this bill by no means captures the National Wildlife Federation’s wish list, we believe that it is a very positive contribution to the Endangered Species Act debate,” he said.

Assistant Interior Secretary George Frampton Jr. suggested to the House Resources Committee last week that President Clinton would veto the Young-Pombo bill.

The bill ends the requirement that the government do everything in its power to save all species from extinction. It also includes a provision requiring the federal government to pay private land owners anytime wildlife protection causes the value of their property to decline by more than 20 percent.

Clinton has promised to veto any such compensation legislation, Frampton said. He said the administration is interested in proposals like Gilchrest’s. He said it is similar to ideas promoted by the Western Governor’s Association.

“There are building blocks for centrist reform and reauthorization out there,” Frampton said. “I think there is a good possibility of a reform proposal moving forward.”

Gilchrest said his bill would streamline the species recovery process and set specific goals for removal of species from the protected lists.