We have all heard the rallying cry “Save the Whales!” but few people have actually stopped to think about what it means. In the United States and around the world, more than 1,000 species have been officially designated as at risk of extinction with thousands more facing a heightened risk of extinction. Yet, we all understand that plants and animals hold tremendous medicinal, agricultural, ecological, commercial and recreational value for mankind.  Indeed, their loss would be detrimental to us all. As such, protecting our world’s endangered species makes sense, because after all their existence not only benefits us today, but also benefits future generations. And a critical means of conserving and restoring of our nation’s wildlife, fish, plants and their habitat has been the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The ESA was passed in 1973 to ensure our wildlife habitat is preserved to permanently protect vulnerable species.  Since its passage, the ESA has more than achieved its goal. As of 2006, 19 species of fish and wildlife were listed as endangered or threatened in Maine under the Federal ESA. These species include: eastern cougar, gray wolf, loggerhead turtle, bald eagle, and north atlantic right whale. There have been numerous success stories, including the Peregrine Falcon, listed as an endangered species, which has been nesting in Acadia National Park since its reintroduction into the wild in the 1980s.  Successful recovery efforts for species such as the whooping crane, Kirtland's warbler, the peregrine falcon, the gray wolf, the gray whale, the grizzly bear, and others have resulted in great improvements in the viability of these species.

However, this does not mean we can rest on our laurels. The ESA absolutely can and must be improved. Saving a species requires a combination of sound research, careful coordination, and intensive management of conservation efforts, along with increased public awareness and education. Since two-thirds of endangered or threatened species reside on private lands, we must implement tax incentives for property owners that go beyond the law. Voluntary cooperative conservation programs have also proven to be critical for habitat restoration and species recovery.

Look, for example, at the uncertain fate of the North Atlantic Right Whale, among the rarest of all marine mammals.  Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimate that only approximately 300 individuals of this once-thriving species currently exist. Last year, in my capacity as Chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Fisheries and Coast Guard, I urged President Bush to assist in the recovery of this endangered whale.  The North Atlantic right whale is also critical part of our nation’s maritime history and marine ecosystem and it would be an enormous tragedy if this whale were to become extinct when we had it within our power to help this species survive.

Recently the Senate designated May 11, 2006 as “Endangered Species Day” to encourage the people of the United States to become educated about, and aware of, threats to species, success stories in species recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation worldwide. However, we must also adequately fund this initiative so that we do not lose our wildlife. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration’s Fiscal Year 2007 Budget includes a $7.7 million or 10.4 percent cut to the recovery budget, further exacerbating the existing shortfall. Indeed, a failure to provide adequate levels of funding for endangered species operations will only ensure that species slide closer to extinction, decreasing chances for recovery while increasing the costs.

I strongly believe in the goals of the ESA and will continue to work to strengthen it to protect our world’s most vulnerable species. I realize that one of the most important things we can do to protect wildlife is to protect the habitat it needs to live. We must also adequately finance species recovery programs and so I will continue to do all I can to encourage my colleagues to fund this essential program.