Invasive Species

From the American Policy Center Website

If you have "non-native" weeds, grass, trees, or shrubs on your property (and everyone does) you’re in trouble. Under "invasive species" provisions currently sitting in the Senate’s version of the transportation bill, your property could quickly become the target of radical environmentalists and federal bureaucrats. The bill’s name is the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act" or SAFETEA 2005 (*please note* that it does not yet have a bill number). It is vitally important that you call both of your Senators this week, and next week, and tell them to DEMAND that any invasive species provisions be stripped from the SAFETEA bill. SAFETEA could come up for a vote before the full Senate at ANY TIME! **Call the Senate Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and simply ask for your Senators by name.** Currently, the SAFETEA act contains provisions to "minimize invasive species." This is the foot in the door to federal control of ALL so-called "invasive species" -- something that the greens openly covet. Under the Senate version of SAFETEA, the federal government will dictate to the states what types of grasses and plants are allowed to be planted next to roads. This has nothing to do with science or the environment. This is about LAND CONTROL and MONEY FOR RADICAL GREEN GROUPS. **Call your Senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them: NO INVASIVE SPECIES PROVISIONS in the transportation bill!** Imagine the Endangered Species Act on steroids. Now multiply its devastating effect on property rights one-hundred fold. That should give you a pretty good idea of what "invasive species" legislation will mean for property owners in every state, county, and city in this nation. "Invasive species" is the radical greens’ key to controlling every square inch of land in the United States. And SAFETEA is the just the beginning. This nightmare all began when Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13112 in 1999, creating an "Invasive Species Council" to monitor and control "alien species." What are alien species? According to Clinton’s Order, "alien species means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, any species, including seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem." Most agricultural crops and animal species clearly fall within the definition of "alien." Domesticated pets, many houseplants, and Kentucky bluegrass used in most lawns and golf courses are already defined as alien species. Indeed, this is all the greens and their allies in the federal government need to control all land in the U.S. Think the invasive species monster can’t get any worse? It already has. In 2001, the Invasive Species Council issued a management plan that states: "Council member agencies will work with the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) and other relevant bodies to expand opportunities to share information, technologies, and technical capacity on the control and management of invasive species with other countries, promoting environmentally sound control and management practices." And just what is the Global Invasive Species Programme? A quick trip to the GISP website reveals it is: - The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) - The United Nations Environmental, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - The Convention on Biological Diversity - The Nature Conservancy - The International Union for the Protection of Nature - DIVERSITAS: An International Programme of Biodiversity Science (another UNESCO project) Invasive species legislation opens the door to federal and international control over private property in the United States. And that’s why greens in the Senate are trying to sneak it into the federal transportation bill -- without ANY proper debate. We are running out of time. Contact your Senators TODAY, TOMORROW, AND NEXT WEEK. The House version of the transportation bill has already passed and thankfully does NOT include any invasive species language. But the Senate version (SAFETEA 2005) DOES! Once again, the House is on the right track and the Senate is out in left field. ACT NOW! **Action to Take** Call both of your Senators and tell them to DEMAND that any and all "invasive species" provisions are REMOVED from the Senate transportation bill (SAFETEA). Call the Senate Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senators by name.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For further information please refer to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml