Dear Group:
I don't mean to get political but I thought you should be informed about this
issue I have just been informed of. It affects all of us who love gardening and
that want to be able to plant non-native plants in our garden. I realize some
people are opposed to non-native gardening but for those who are not, you may
want to read further. This is only for your information and in case you want
your voice to be heard over this matter. The issue is a transportation bill and
its impact on our ability to plant that which may be considered by some
"invasive species". I did not write the following information and hope it does
not offend anyone, I just want people to be informed of the potential problems
of this bill.
Thanks!
Martha

The Transportation Bill is now in conference committee where the
House and Senate iron out their differences to come up with a final
bill. The House version (HR 3 or TEA LU) is intentionally silent
on "Invasive Species". Hearings on the Hill and your calls and
letters helped the House see the problems with this movement and
they removed all the Invasive Species language from their version of
the bill. The Senate version (S.732 or SAFETEA) contains Section
166 which introduces "Invasive Species". There are other references
to "Invasive Species", but Sec 166 is the key passage. The Senate
chose not have any hearings on the bill, so they do not have the
same in-depth knowledge of the problems with the "Invasive Species"
issue that the House does.

If you would like additional information, or text for your fax,
please scroll down. If you are already convinced, please call or
preferably fax the lead House and Senate conferees of the
transportation bill. Tell them that "Invasive Species" has no place
in the bill and that Section 166 of the Senate version, S.732
SAFETEA, must be entirely deleted. The final version must be the
House version (HR 3 – TEA LU), which is intentionally silent
on "Invasive Species" and other related extreme environmental
agendas.

House:

Rep. Don Young (AK), Chairman of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee:
Phone: 202-225-9446
Fax: 202-225-6782


Senate:

Sen. James Inhofe, Chairman of the Environment and Public Works
Committee:
Phone: 202-224-6176
Fax: 202-224-5167
http://epw.senate.gov/contact.htm

"Invasive Species" is the latest scare agenda promoted by radical
environmentalists. It is all-pervasive and calls for regulation,
restriction and prohibition of pets, game animals, fish, domestic
livestock, plant life (including gardens) and aquatic species. If
a species was present in North America prior to European settlement
in 1492 it is "Native" and good. If it wasn't it is "Non-native"
and bad.

The definition of "Invasive Species" is fraught with problems:
An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is non-native (or
alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction
causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm
to human health. Invasive species can be plants, animals, and other
organisms (e.g., microbes)." "Likely," "non-native,"
and "environmental harm" are subjective and are used to mean
anything that wasn't present in North America in 1492. With this
loose definition, almost anything can be defined as an "Invasive
Species."

To-date, all government actions have been by way of policy and quasi-
regulation through an Executive Order because "Invasive Species"
laws have not been passed. Please don't let them become law through
this bill.

The Federal government is now spending over $1B on "Invasive
Species", mostly on questionable research, publications, meetings,
grants, partnerships, bureaucracy-building, etc. And this is before
the law is passed. Over 20 federal agencies are involved with
the "Invasive Species" agenda. Their power and budgets will increase
if this is passed. So instead of going for essential programs, our
tax dollars will be spent trying to take the U.S. Environment back
to the way it was in 1492.

What is actually in Section 166 of SAFETEA regarding "Invasive
Species" and why should I be concerned?

1. Section 166 has the consequence of inserting the major, new
environmental agenda of "Invasive Species" into U.S. law by way of a
few short lines in a $295B must-pass bill. No hearings were held
where the dangers of "Invasive Species" could be aired to the Senate.

2. Section 166 calls for control of nonnative ("invasive") species
and the establishment of native species with no specific
consideration of utility (erosion control, expense, aesthetics,
etc.). Native = good. Nonnative = bad.

3. Section 166 calls for statewide plant inventories. This is a
Federally-financed invitation to discover endangered and threatened
species and "species of concern". It is an open invitation for
costly and project-crippling litigation. Instead of improving our
roads, our gas tax dollars will fund environmental organizations,
who will conduct the mandated statewide plant inventories.

4. Section 166 calls for regional habitat conservation and
mitigation. It is commonsense that the area adjacent to high-speed
highways be designed to discourage, not encourage, dangerous animal
crossings, bird flight, etc. In addition, regional habitat
conservation has nothing to do with building or improving highways.

5. Section 166 provides for training. Training assumes that State
highway personnel are ignorant of their own domain and
need "Invasive Species" instruction from environmentalist
organizations and radicals within the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA). Training is a catch-all term that siphons off highway
dollars for "Invasive Species"-promoting brochures, meetings,
partnerships, and the building of "Invasive Species" bureaucracies.
It is a funding mechanism for radical environmental organizations.

6. Chief House negotiator Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is quoted in the
June 13, 2005 edition of the Washington Post: "There will be no more
extensions." In other words, the bill will pass before the end of
June, so it is now or never to remove Sec 166 entirely from
SAFETEA.

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Dear Group:
I don't mean to get political but I thought you should be informed about this
issue I have just been informed of. It affects all of us who love gardening and
that want to be able to plant non-native plants in our garden. I realize some
people are opposed to non-native gardening but for those who are not, you may
want to read further. This is only for your information and in case you want
your voice to be heard over this matter. The issue is a transportation bill and
its impact on our ability to plant that which may be considered by some
"invasive species". I did not write the following information and hope it does
not offend anyone, I just want people to be informed of the potential problems
of this bill.
Thanks!
Martha

The Transportation Bill is now in conference committee where the
House and Senate iron out their differences to come up with a final
bill. The House version (HR 3 or TEA LU) is intentionally silent
on "Invasive Species". Hearings on the Hill and your calls and
letters helped the House see the problems with this movement . . . .

While "invasive species" ARE a major problem (just ask
anyone who lives near the Florida Everglades or has to
battle Russian thistle out west) this message has been
wandering around the Internet for 10 years or more now. It
is part of a nasty anti-environmental campaign, and that
bill, if it ever existed, doesn't now. There WERE extensive
and important restrictions put (administratively) on the
importation of exotic plants a few years ago, and it got the
anything-goes-especially-if-I-like-it folks really peed off.
This obfuscation campaign was one result.

It is utter nonsense.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - People,
when Columbus discovered this country, it was plum full of
nuts and berries. And I'm right here to tell you (that) the
berries are just about all gone. -- Uncle Dave Macon, musician

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Wouldn't we be considered an 'invasive species'?
What about human population control? Is that covered in the bill?
If so, just bringing that to the Republican Party's attention would
guarentee it stricken from the bill.