"These agreements are remarkable because they embody the conservation mandates of three separate states and the Federal government, and they respect the needs of private interests to continue to carry out business," said Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. "When people in other parts of the country are faced with similar challenges, they will look to Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana for answers."
"We can preserve special places like the bottomlands and wetlands that are important to clean water and support the copperbelly and other wildlife, and we can do it in a way that does not threaten our way of life or our livelihoods," said Babbitt.
The move to develop a tri-state conservation agreement was initiated by U.S. Senator Wendell H. Ford in September of 1996. "When the proposal to list the copperbelly water snake as threatened was first made, I knew there had to be a better way to safeguard the snakes habitat without hindering economic growth," said Ford. "That better way turned out to be the copperbelly water snake conservation team which I pulled together back in early September. Once we forged that critical partnership, we were then able to forge a better solution."
In two conservation agreements announced today in Madisonville, Kentucky, Federal, State, and private cooperators agreed on strategies to protect the copperbellys southern population. The agreements include commitments by coal companies to avoid or curtail mining in some key snake habitat areas; modify mining practices in other snake habitat; and implement reclamation practices after mining that meet the habitat needs of the snake. Public agencies agreed to protect the snake and its habitat and to place a high priority on projects that benefit the copperbelly.
"The copperbelly water snake conservation agreements begin a new spirit of cooperation among local, state, and Federal agencies; agricultural interests; the coal industry; and interested individuals," said Tom Bennett, Commissioner of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "The agreements will ensure the continued existence of the species and the wetland ecosystems on which it depends. While the focus of this agreement is on the copperbelly water snake, many other bottomland hardwood and wetlands species will benefit. I hope this is the beginning of cooperative and proactive efforts to maintain healthy ecosystems for all species."
"Protecting the copperbelly water snakes wetland habitat preserves some of the most unique and interesting natural areas of southern Indiana. Not only are we protecting important natural areas for the copperbelly and other species, we preserve wetland areas to help filter and cleanse groundwater and reduce the threat of flooding," said Patrick Ralston, director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
"Voluntary protection is the key to the future of many endangered species throughout the United States," said Illinois Natural Resources Director Brent Manning. "We hope this plan is the first of many where the private sector and government work cooperatively for the betterment of the environment."
The copperbelly water snake, named for its bright orange underside, was proposed for listing as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1993, primarily due to conversion or destruction of its wetland habitat. The conservation agreements reduce or eliminate threats to the snake, allowing the Interior Departments U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to withdraw its proposal to list copperbelly water snakes under the Endangered Species Act in the southern part of the species range.
"This is a great example of how agencies willing to sit down with industry can work out the parameters on which issues can be settled for the benefit of all concerned," said James Baker, President of the Western Kentucky Coal Association. "It is the intention of our membership to work cooperatively with the other agencies to make this work."
"What makes the conservation agreement unique is that is was produced in a spirit of cooperation and respect for all signatory parties," said Larry Whittaker, McLean County Judge Executive, representing the Kentucky Coal County Coalition. "The benefits to the environment, landowners, government, and general public are guarded by the continuance of that cooperation and respect."
"Were excited to see this type of a voluntary program put in place that protects a species, and at the same time safeguards vital industries and normal agricultural production practices," said William R. Sprague, president of Kentucky Farm Bureau. "This negotiated settlement is an important step toward taking away the adversarial stance between species protection and producers. Our hats are off to Senator Ford and fish and wildlife agencies for finding common ground and setting up a practical, sensible procedure for achieving all our goals."
The Service has decided to list as threatened isolated remnant populations in the snakess northern range, made up of small groups of copperbellies in northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and southern Michigan. Conversion of the snakes habitat in the north to roadways, building sites and agriculture continues to threaten these populations. It is estimated that these copperbellies would vanish in the next 10 to 20 years without protection. Under the Endangered Species Act, a threatened species is one likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Copperbellies in the northern range will receive protection under the Act while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with its partners develops and implements a recovery plan.
In determining whether an animal or plant should be added to the endangered species list, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the threats to the species and the existence of other programs and regulations to conserve the species. Conservation agreements, such as those for the copperbelly water snake, are developed to remove the threats to species considered for listing, providing the same conservation benefits as listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Two agreements were developed. One included provisions for addressing threats to the copperbelly in all three states, except for coal mining in Indiana, and was signed by the Interior Departments U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Kentucky Coal Association, the Western Kentucky Coal Association, the Kentucky Coal County Coalition, and the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet. A second agreement addresses coal mining in Indiana and was signed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Indiana Coal Council, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The copperbelly historically ranged throughout much of the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. However, loss of its habitat has restricted most copperbellies to pockets of remaining wetlands and bottomlands which overlie coal fields in southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and western Kentucky. Today the largest number of copperbelly water snakes occurs in western Kentucky in 18 isolated populations. Only two of these are considered secure, with the others threatened by conversion of habitat to mining and cropland. In Indiana there are 13 populations, and 5 in Illinois.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
