Calvert, McMorris Rodgers introduce bipartisan bill to protect fish, regulate U.S. waterways

U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on Jan. 15 introduced the Federally Integrated Species Health (FISH) Act, bipartisan legislation to put one federal agency in charge of regulating America’s waterways and protecting myriad species of fish.

Currently, both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service split authority over many of the same U.S. waterways listed under the the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, according to Rep. McMorris Rodgers.

“When multiple federal resource agencies are attempting to manage Endangered Species Act recovery, miscommunication and bureaucratic hurdles can stifle progress and make it more difficult to meet our goals,” the congresswoman said on Tuesday.

H.R. 548 would amend the ESA to permit the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to handle all functions under the act related to species of fish that spawn in fresh or estuarine waters and migrate to ocean waters, and for species of fish that spawn in ocean waters and migrate to fresh waters, according to the congressional record summary.

“The FISH Act is a good government approach that will benefit species and all stakeholders affected by the ESA through a unified approach to managing threatened and endangered species,” said Calvert, lead sponsor of the bill. He noted that unnecessary duplication of oversight responsibilities delays deploying and operating critical infrastructure that spurs the economy and enhances the environment.

“This legislation is a common sense way to keep the important environmental regulations we need in place while getting rid of the illogical and redundant processes that prevent us from accessing and storing our water wisely,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), one of five original cosponsors of H.R. 548.

The FISH Act, he added, should eliminate “conflicting requirements and has broad support from water managers across the country, including multiple California water agencies.”

“By consolidating management of ESA salmon recovery within the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and not spreading enforcement authority among numerous federal agencies, we can more effectively recover endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest and ensure dams and fish can coexist,” McMorris Rodgers added.

H.R. 548 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.