Military training exercises on U.S. Army bases around the country are in "potential jeopardy" because of deep cuts in environmental programs, according to a Pentagon memorandum obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
Over the past three years, in the name of national defense, Congress has granted the military exemptions from complying with important environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Under the changes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot designate as critical habitat any lands controlled by the Department of Defense, provided the Pentagon has prepared a plan that "addresses special management consideration or protection." Moreover, Congress essentially granted the Pentagon a blanket exemption from protecting migratory birds or their nesting grounds during readiness training. [1]
But in the September 24 memo obtained by PEER, Major General Larry Gottardi notes that in fiscal year 2005 and beyond, funding for environmental projects on military bases will drop by more than a third, a consequence of the war in Iraq. Without the funds needed to prepare the required plans, Gottardi raises the concern that lawsuits could result in court-ordered injunctions that halt training exercises altogether.
PEER has taken note of the irony in the situation. "As both a matter of law and moral responsibility, the Army cannot shirk its duty to defend the lands and wildlife entrusted to its care," said PEER executive director Jeff Ruch. But, Ruch added, "The Pentagon is practicing bait and switch tactics by baiting Congress to exempt the military from environmental protection laws and then switching away the money that was used to justify the exemptions." [2]
Army bases cover some 11.8 million acres in the U.S., approximately the combined size of Vermont and New Hampshire, and contain some of the nation’s most critical wildlife habitat. Ft. Hood in Texas, for example, contains habitat for two endangered migratory songbirds, wintering bald eagles, peregrine falcon, whooping cranes, and a variety of other rare plant and animal species. [3]
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SOURCES:
[1] U.S. Fish and Wildlife press office.
[2] PEER press release, Oct. 6, 2004.
[3] "The Birds of Fort Hood," Endangered Species Bulletin, Nov. 2000.
