BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acted today to remove Kern County from regulations protecting the Valley Longhorn Elderberry Beetle.
The deregulated area also includes Kings County and Tulare County, according to Fish and Wildlife, which states the beetle is no longer making its habitat within the three county limits.
For decades, protecting the beetle has been costly and a burden for local communities, making infrastructure and economic development projects more expensive, according to Fish and Wildlife.
Today's announcement means "farmers, small businesses, and cities are no longer subject to unnecessary Endangered Species Act requirements and mitigation for the Elderberry Beetle," according to Fish and Wildlife.
Congressman Kevin McCarthy issued a statement concerning the beetle and the deregulation:
“Today’s decision provides needed relief to our local communities that have been forced to expend precious resources to protect a species that is not even located in our region. With the removal of Elderberry Beetle regulatory mandates from our local area, our communities can continue to focus on creating jobs rather than endure unnecessary and onerous environmental regulations.
“However, it is unfortunate that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has withdrawn its own proposal to delist the Valley Longhorn Elderberry Beetle as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. I strongly encourage the Fish and Wildlife Service not to withdraw this proposal and to reopen the public comment period so that constituents from other areas affected can provide the most up-to-date facts that show this species has recovered.”
Below is some background information provided by Fish and Wildlife on the Valley Longhorn Elderberry Beetle:
· The Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle was listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1980.
· A FWS 5-year species review concluded in 2006 recommended delisting the beetle.
· In 2010, a petition was filed with FWS to delist the beetle as threatened under ESA and remove any beetle critical habitat designations.
· FWS proposed a rule in 2011 to formally delist the beetle and critical habitat, which can be reviewed here.
· On April 16, 2013, the Porterville City Council adopted a resolution calling on FWS to delist the beetle and any critical habitat designations. The resolution can be reviewed here.
· On June 10, 2014, Congressman McCarthy, California State Senator Jean Fuller, and California Assemblywoman Connie Conway sent a letter to FWS Director Daniel Ashe calling on the Service to act on its own recommendation by finalizing its proposal to delist the Elderberry Beetle as a threatened species.
· Congressman McCarthy secured language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Appropriations Act (H.R. 5171) that would prevent FWS from withdrawing its proposal to delist the Elderberry Beetle and encourages them to delist this species. The legislation is pending.
Elderberry Beetle image from riverpartners.org
