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Committee approves amendment to extend wildlife protections to certain invertebrates
Summary
The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources voted to adopt an amended bill expanding the definition of "designated invertebrate" and adding those species to wildlife protections; the amendment excludes some pests after coordination with the Department of Agriculture, and the bill was advanced out of committee.
Assemblymember Watts sponsored Assembly Bill 85 and told the committee an amendment to the bill addresses concerns raised by the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Becky Peratt of the Legislative Counsel Bureau introduced the measure and staff analysis. "This amendment was worked on with the department and addresses those concerns," Assemblymember Watts said.
Kevin Burls of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation testified in support, saying the goal of creating a list was to prevent federal protection being necessary later and that adding invertebrates to the state-managed list is intended to protect species before they require federal Endangered Species Act protections. "The goal of this list ... is to prevent the need for federal protection of these species," Burls said, noting that listing at the state level would not create a nexus with NEPA or Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
After brief committee discussion, the committee moved to adopt the bill as amended. Vice Chair LaRue Hatch made the motion; the motion was seconded (the transcript records the second as Assemblymember Constantine). Assemblymember Ger indicated he would vote yes in committee but reserved the right to change his vote on the floor. The committee recorded two nay votes from Assemblymember Hansen and Assemblymember DeLong; the motion was adopted by the members present.
Ending: The committee passed AB 85 as amended and asked Assemblymember Watts to prepare the floor statement for the full Assembly.
