Counting U.S. Creatures

* The Fishermen’s Coalition is a member of the Alliance for America, which is credited in “Counting America’s Creatures” (Oct. 2) as one grass-roots group with reservations about the National Biological Survey. Your article failed to state some of these legitimate concerns.

No one can object to good science properly applied. Unfortunately, experience has taught us that the U.S. government’s record on science is poor. We’ve all been subjected to bureaucratic junk science badly applied and ordinary citizens are now starting to ask questions.

We as Americans are always optimistic about science. However, we need to be more questioning of our good leaders and make sure that we do not walk into another regulatory maze like the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the dozens of other “good ideas” gone bad. We can’t afford any more junk science.

TERESA PLATT

Coronado

* The article on the proposed National Biological Survey points to the need for an aggressive proactive approach to species preservation. Our Endangered Species Act is being attacked by the timber, mining, ranching and development industries. “Activists” like Alliance for America are fighting any effort to strengthen the act, including the funding of the National Biological Survey. What are they so afraid of?

Currently we are faced with the greatest rate of species extinction worldwide since the disappearance of the dinosaurs. This loss is destroying the genetic diversity of our planet. One-quarter of the world’s species could be lost within the next 50 years. An alarming 100 species will be lost per day by the year 2000.

For 20 years, the Endangered Species Act has been one of the most effective pieces of environmental legislation in this country. The act is scheduled to be reauthorized by Congress in the upcoming months. It is critical that the act is not only renewed, but strengthened to halt this dramatic loss of life.

While species extinction is a global issue, we can determine its potential destruction in California where 79 species are endangered including the Peregrine falcon, while the California sea otter remains threatened. A strengthened act will include ecosystem-wide recovery plans, a proactive approach to species protection and full funding.

TOM SUBAK, Campaign Director

California Public Interest

Research Group (CALPIRG)

Los Angeles