JffiANGERED SPECIES ACT ENDANGERED 
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the feder- 
al legislation that provides for the conserva- 
tion and protection of plants and animals that 
are "endangered" (in danger of extinction in all 
or most of its range) or "threatened" (likely to 
become endangered in the foreseeable future). 
The Act authorizes and directs the Fist and 
Wildlife Service to carry out such protection. 
This legislation, originally passed in 1973, 
expires on October 1, 1982, and Congress must 
" re-author ize" the ESA or pass a new law. 
Although the ESA as it has operated has been 
far from perfect, it is undoubtedly the most 
significant plant and wildlife conservation law 
ever enacted. It is expected that an ESA in 
some form will be passed, but the question is 
what that form will be. During the reauthori- 
zation process. Congress may change or elimi- 
nate any part of the Act, and significant 
oressures are being exerted to weaken the pro- 
visions of the present Act. In fact, IT IS 
POSSIBLE THAT PLANTS COULD BE EXCLUDED 
COMPLETELY from the new legislation-— some 
Administration officials. Congressmen, and 
development interests have suggested elimina- 
ting both plants and Invertebrates! 
Congressional hearings on the new law have 
already begun. The timetable of Congress is 
f a ich that the committees involved must have the 
*,haw bills drafted and approved BEFORE MAY IS, 
1982. The cornnittee-originated bills then must 
be considered and approved by the House and the 
Senate, then any differences between them must 
be reconciled by a conference committee. The 
final bill must again be passed by both House 
and Senate and signed by the President. All of 
this must occur before October l, 1982, if an 
Endangered Species Act is to continue without 
lapse. 
Your Society has supported efforts of the 
Natural Resources Defense Council, the Envi- 
ronmental Defense Fund, and a number of other 
conservation groups to keep plants included and 
protected in the reauthorized ESA. We were 
among the twelve cosponsoring groups whose 
statement was submitted to the Subcommittee on 
Environmental Pollution for the oversight 
hearing on the Endangered Species Act, held 
December 8-10, 1981. In this statement, some of 
the reasons underlying the need for plant 
conservation were given, the primary causes for 
endangerment were considered, the performance of 
the ESA thus far was assessed with respect to 
plants (only 63 of the estimated 3,000 eli- 
gible plants have been "listed" and thus made 
eligible for the Act's protection), and most 
importantly, the groups' support for the in- 
clusion and strengthening of plant protection 
provisions in the new Act was strongly stated. 
^r-The Society will continue to support a strong 
^SA in any way possible, but IT IS VITAL THAT WE 
-AS INDIVIDUALS SHOW OUR CONCERN FOR ENDANGERED 
PLANTS, 
What can you do? Probably your most important 
help will be to write letters, at the appro- 
priate time, to our Senators and Representa- 
tives before they vote on the Act, President 
Hayes has appointed Sue Martin as the CONPS 
coordinator for ESA reauthorization informa- 
tion. She will try to keep you informed of the 
contents and progress of the bills. This may 
require one or more special mailings— so please 
be on the lookout for these. When you receive 
one, don't put it aside "to do later"— -later 
might be too late. Resolve now to take the time ; 
to write a few letters, or send a telegram, and 
let our elected representatives know that plant 
conservation is important to us in Colorado. 
You might also contact local Garden Clubs or 
other groups in your area that would be con- 
cerned about plant conservation. Explain the 
situation and Identify interested individuals 
who. also might write letters supporting the Act. 
Remind them that three of our Colorado cacti, 
P&dioca&tue knowltoniiy Saleroaactue glmicrus, 
and Sol&ro&actm meaae mrdae* are listed and 
thus protected by the current ESA, and our 
Phacelia fovmosula is in "proposed" status. We 
have many more plant species in Colorado that 
are potentially li stable and protectable by ESA, 
but first we must see to it that a strong ESA is 
reauthorized! 
— Sue Martin 
^.QF .WESIERNCniQRAn 0 
William A. Weber, author of Rocky Mountain Flora, 
is writing a new book for the Western Slope of 
Colorado. This project has a budget of $93,000 
and there is a severe lack of funding. Weber 
hopes to complete the project in three years and 
would like to have 10 pledges of $3,000 per year 
for the three years. Lacking these pledges he 
will accept any donations, which are tax 
deductible, to the CU Foundation — Flora Book. 
More detailed information about this project may 
be obtained from the University of Colorado 
Development Office, 1305 University Avenue, 
Campus Box 462, Boulder, Colorado 80309. 
VACATIONJNGJDUT of state this summer? 
Your EDITOR is going to try to maintain, on his 
personal computer at home, a list of field trips 
and activities of Native Plant Societies we 
exchange newsletters with. If you want a 
listing of activites in an area during a 
particular time period write to the EDITOR, 
include a self-addressed stamped long envelope, 
the dates you will be gone, and what area you 
will be visiting. 
