House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01) today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) announcement of its decision to list the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The population loss of the bat is primarily caused by a disease called white nose syndrome (WNS) which would not be curtailed by a listing designation. 
 
“This decision flouts transparency and will fail to mitigate the real menace to this species, which is a disease called white nose syndrome – not human activities. If success here is defined by controlling more of people’s land and more people’s lives, then they have succeeded. Unfortunately, the Administration and extremist environmental groups want us all to pat them on the back for labeling this species ‘threatened,’ which is a distraction from addressing WNS, the real threat to the bat.  

“There is zero accountability in the ESA listing process under this Administration. Despite repeated Committee requests of the Service to provide data and communication about the NLEB, and how this proposal will actually begin solving the WNS challenge, there has been little cooperation – and that is unacceptable. Once again, in the name of transparency, I call upon Director Ashe to release this information to the public.

“The Service’s harmful and horrendous approach points to the greater, national obligation to reform and update this outdated law for a 21st century economy. It’s time to put people and species above the dangerous demands of national, big money environmental groups who simply want to stop human development in its tracks. In this case, the economic livelihoods of families across 38 states in the East and Midwest are on the line.”

 Background: 

• FWS proposed to list the bat as endangered on October 2, 2013. Since that time, the Service has delayed the final listing decision 3 times, citing disagreement over the scientific data used to support the determination. 

• On March 4, 2015, the Committee sent FWS a letter requesting that the Service provide to the Committee by March 13, 2015, specific data and population models used to support any final listing determination, urging the Service to protect the NLEB from population loss associated with WNS, without unduly burdening economic activities that have no impact on the species. FWS has not provided this information.

• On March 30, 2015, the Committee sent a follow-up letter to the March 4 letter to FWS, reiterating the request for any information used in the development of the proposed rule that was not included in the proposed rule. FWS has not provided this information.

• On March 16, 2015, House and Senate Committee leaders sent FWS a letter, requesting that the Service extend the comment period and delay the listing determination for the NLEB. 

• On March 13, 2015, 16 Member of Congress sent FWS a letter, urging the Service to provide more flexibility in the final NLEB listing proposal. 

• On March 1, 2015, 21 Members of Congress sent FWS a letter, urging the Service to hold more public meetings and extend the comment period.