Since passage of the Endangered Species Act 50 years ago, more than 1,700 plants, mammals, fish, insects and other species in the U.S. have been listed as threatened or endangered with extinction. Yet federal government data reveals striking disparities in how much money is allocated to save various biological kingdoms.
Of the roughly $1.2 billion a year spent on endangered and threatened species, about half goes toward recovery of just two types of fish: salmon and steelhead trout along the West Coast. Tens of millions of dollars go to other widely known animals including manatees, right whales, grizzly bears and spotted owls.
But the large sums directed toward a handful of species means others have gone neglected, in some cases for decades, as they teeter on potential extinction.
People are too eager to build. I live near an entire city built on a fucking natural floodplain and they’re shocked, shocked I tell you, when the damn city floods once a fucking year.
On the plus side, a lawsuit was recently won that showed that a Trump-era rule that allowed logging in old growth forests in Washington and Oregon was against Federal Law and has been rescinded.
I hear ya. My town is essentially built on former swampland, and the flooding is getting worse each year.
It’s good to see some victories on presenting y habitat, but it’s crazy the damage we’ve caused so far. Through deforestation and climate change, the feds are planning to shoot 500,000 Barred Owls to try to save the Spotted Owls this year alone. I’ll take a win where I can find it though. 😔