The common rant against the federal government is that it is intrusive. But many federal bureaucrats perform important work discharging the law under difficult circumstances with great constancy and intelligence. They work to enforce provisions of the Endangered Species Act. I offer my tribute to the federal and state biologists who work under very trying conditions to protect the habitat and conditions for endangered species in Utah.
I have worked personally with biologists in the effort to protect endangered species. My experience is that these biologists, from many agencies, have tried to work in a collaborative way with state, local and private entities.In general, public policy has been to let local jurisdictions make their own planning and zoning decisions even when these decisions are stupid. However, the federal government intervenes - correctly and legally - when these local decisions threaten the existence of the natural heritage that belongs to all Americans. Even with the protections of the Endangered Species Act for endangered fish in the Virgin River and the desert tortoise, the amount of growth in Washington County has been phenomenal. County officials routinely protest the enforcement of agreements to which they have put their own signatures and use political pressure to try to intimidate federal and state biologists. In some places - not necessarily in Washington County - even physical intimidation has been used against federal and state biologists. This is a shame. I am glad these dedicated biologists are willing to put up with a lot.
Mark A. Clemens
Murray