PRINTER'S NO. 1838
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
338
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY McCARTER, DALEY, McCLINTON, READSHAW, HILL-EVANS,
FRANKEL, DONATUCCI, WILLIAMS, SCHLOSSBERG, BURNS, VITALI,
KIRKLAND, KORTZ, FREEMAN, DiGIROLAMO, YOUNGBLOOD,
CALTAGIRONE, MARKOSEK AND O'MARA, MAY 15, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, MAY 15, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating May 17, 2019, as "Endangered Species Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Prior to the European settlement of the land that
eventually came to be known as the United States, plants and
animals occasionally faced environmental pressures such as
natural disasters or predators that led to their individual and
collective demise; and
WHEREAS, As the population of the United States grew
exponentially and migrated westward in the 18th and 19th
centuries, the flora and fauna of the country faced new
stressors due to human encroachment; and
WHEREAS, Species such as the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes
migratorius), which had flourished for centuries, were decimated
as a result of over harvesting and the destruction of their
habitat; and
WHEREAS, Sportsmen and conservationists alike began to
recognize that unless Federal legislation was enacted, it was
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plausible that future generations would be unable to enjoy the
biological diversity witnessed by our founding fathers; and
WHEREAS, Having recognized that extinction is irreversible,
in 1973, the Congress of the United States passed the Endangered
Species Act, which many consider to be the "bill of rights" for
animals and plants, and
WHEREAS, The Endangered Species Act of 1973 has been heralded
as one of the most comprehensive laws enacted for the protection
of plant and animal species; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, the Congress of the United States first
designated "Endangered Species Day" as a celebration of our
nation's natural environments and wildlife and recognized the
importance of protecting and restoring all threatened and
endangered species; and
WHEREAS, Each year, beginning on the third Friday in May and
continuing throughout the month of May, zoos, aquariums, parks,
botanic gardens, wildlife refuges, museums, schools, community
centers, conservation groups and other organizations throughout
the country hold tours, special speaker presentations, exhibits,
children's activities and other activities and events to
celebrate and raise greater awareness of endangered species
conservation; and
WHEREAS, "Endangered Species Day" is supported by the
National Wildlife Federation's EcoLeaders Program, the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the
United States Forest Service, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Girl Scouts USA, the Association of
Zoos and Aquariums, the North American Association for
Environmental Education, the Sierra Club, the National
Association of Biology Teachers, the National Science Teachers
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Association, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Jane
Goodall Institute, the National Audubon Society and Defenders of
Wildlife; and
WHEREAS, In addition to raising awareness for the need to
conserve and protect endangered species, "Endangered Species
Day" is used to advocate for the need to maintain and protect
the Endangered Species Act; and
WHEREAS, Unfortunately, according to a recent report
published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), 1 million of the
planet's 8 million species are now threatened with extinction as
a result of human actions; and
WHEREAS, The report concluded that a shrinking habitat, the
exploitation of natural resources, climate change and pollution
are the main drivers of widespread species loss; and
WHEREAS, According to the IPBES' findings, it has been
determined that humans are the main culprits of biodiversity
damage, finding that humans have altered 75% of Earth's land and
66% of marine ecosystems since pre-industrial times; and
WHEREAS, Current levels of global consumption have been
deemed unsustainable and must be altered immediately; and
WHEREAS, "Endangered Species Day" is an opportunity to
generate greater awareness of endangered species conservation
and the importance of individual actions that can be taken to
make a difference for wildlife and the environment; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate May 17,
2019, as "Endangered Species Day" in Pennsylvania.
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