Save Our Species Alliance
Encyclopedia
Save Our Species Alliance, Inc. (SOSA) was an American political group, established in December 2004, which is critical of the Endangered Species Act
and other environmental
legislation. It has been criticized by environmentalist
s as a front group for wealthy cattle and timber interests which consider Federal environmental legislation an impediment to profit. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen
says that by attempting to give the appearance of a grassroots organization, the Save Our Species Alliance web site is an example of Astroturfing
.
SOSA describes itself as "a nationwide grassroots organization property owners, farmers, ranchers, miners, foresters, builders/developers, sportsmen, recreationists, business owners and ordinary citizens [sharing] the common goal of making the Endangered Species Act friendlier to local conservation efforts, property owners, and local governments while at the same time, doing a better job of actually saving species at risk."http://www.saveourspeciesalliance.org/cms/images/4_13_05sosahotline.pdf SOSA was established as a 501(c)(4) civic organization in December 2004. It spent $2.8 million in 2005, stating that its social welfare campaign sought to "modernize and update the Endangered Species Act." According to its 2005 financial disclosure, "[t]his corporation was incorporated in the state of Delaware. Names of the contributors under Delaware state law cannot be revealed to any other party." http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2005/202/048/2005-202048142-02b302e0-9O.pdf
The campaign director for SOSA is Tim Wigley
, who was formerly the president of the Oregon Forest Industries Council and worked as director of communications for pulp and paper
company Georgia-Pacific
.http://www.pacwestcom.com/staff/wigley.htm Wigley led the group Project Protect, which supported the Healthy Forests Initiative
and was run out of the offices of the American Forest Resource Council. Other SOSA figures include Steve Quarles, a timber industry lobbyist; supporters include the Competitive Enterprise Institute
.
helped rewrite the 1973 Endangered Species Act, which "was widely denounced by environmentalists as a disturbing retreat from habitat protection and a paperwork nightmare for agencies seeking to revive the 1,268 threatened and endangered plants and animals in the country, 186 of which are in California."http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/15052922.htm
By March 2006, it was revealed in Environmental Science & Technology
that Pombo had been coordinating efforts with Pac/West Communications to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pac/West created the Save Our Species Alliance, an anti-environmental front group that campaigned for Pombo's bill to change the ESA. http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/mar/policy/pt_bigindustry.html Ultimately, SOSA and Pombo failed, as the bill did not become law. Pombo was defeated in the 2006 Congressional election and replaced by Jerry McNerney
, a wind engineer and renewable energy expert.
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
and other environmental
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
legislation. It has been criticized by environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
s as a front group for wealthy cattle and timber interests which consider Federal environmental legislation an impediment to profit. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen
Public Citizen
Public Citizen is a non-profit, consumer rights advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a branch in Austin, Texas. Public Citizen was founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, headed for 26 years by Joan Claybrook, and is now headed by Robert Weissman.-Lobbying Efforts:Public Citizen...
says that by attempting to give the appearance of a grassroots organization, the Save Our Species Alliance web site is an example of Astroturfing
Astroturfing
Astroturfing is a form of advocacy in support of a political, organizational, or corporate agenda, designed to give the appearance of a "grassroots" movement. The goal of such campaigns is to disguise the efforts of a political and/or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some...
.
SOSA describes itself as "a nationwide grassroots organization property owners, farmers, ranchers, miners, foresters, builders/developers, sportsmen, recreationists, business owners and ordinary citizens [sharing] the common goal of making the Endangered Species Act friendlier to local conservation efforts, property owners, and local governments while at the same time, doing a better job of actually saving species at risk."http://www.saveourspeciesalliance.org/cms/images/4_13_05sosahotline.pdf SOSA was established as a 501(c)(4) civic organization in December 2004. It spent $2.8 million in 2005, stating that its social welfare campaign sought to "modernize and update the Endangered Species Act." According to its 2005 financial disclosure, "[t]his corporation was incorporated in the state of Delaware. Names of the contributors under Delaware state law cannot be revealed to any other party." http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2005/202/048/2005-202048142-02b302e0-9O.pdf
The campaign director for SOSA is Tim Wigley
Tim Wigley
Tim Wigley is an American lobbyist working primarily on resource and environmental issues. He is Executive Vice President of PAC/WEST Communications. He was formerly the president of the Oregon Forest Industries Council and worked as director of communications for pulp and paper company...
, who was formerly the president of the Oregon Forest Industries Council and worked as director of communications for pulp and paper
Pulp and Paper
Pulp and Paper is the name of the largest United States-based trade magazine for the pulp and paper industry. See also: Paper engineering, Pulp and Paper Merit Badge...
company Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. As of Fall 2010, the company employed more than 40,000 people at more...
.http://www.pacwestcom.com/staff/wigley.htm Wigley led the group Project Protect, which supported the Healthy Forests Initiative
Healthy Forests Initiative
The Healthy Forests Initiative , officially the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 , is a law originally proposed by President George W. Bush in response to the widespread forest fires during the summer of 2002...
and was run out of the offices of the American Forest Resource Council. Other SOSA figures include Steve Quarles, a timber industry lobbyist; supporters include the Competitive Enterprise Institute
Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit think tank founded on March 9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. by lobbyist Fred L. Smith, Jr to advance economic liberty and fight over-regulation by big government...
.
Political connections
In September 2005, Congressman Richard PomboRichard Pombo
Richard William Pombo is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
helped rewrite the 1973 Endangered Species Act, which "was widely denounced by environmentalists as a disturbing retreat from habitat protection and a paperwork nightmare for agencies seeking to revive the 1,268 threatened and endangered plants and animals in the country, 186 of which are in California."http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/15052922.htm
By March 2006, it was revealed in Environmental Science & Technology
Environmental Science & Technology
Environmental Science & Technology , is a peer-reviewed scientific journal, published since 1967 by the American Chemical Society. As the name indicates, it publishes original research in environmental science, but also comprehensive, critical reviews. Publication is currently every other week...
that Pombo had been coordinating efforts with Pac/West Communications to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pac/West created the Save Our Species Alliance, an anti-environmental front group that campaigned for Pombo's bill to change the ESA. http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2006/mar/policy/pt_bigindustry.html Ultimately, SOSA and Pombo failed, as the bill did not become law. Pombo was defeated in the 2006 Congressional election and replaced by Jerry McNerney
Jerry McNerney
Gerald "Jerry" McNerney is an engineer, energy specialist, and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, a wind engineer and renewable energy expert.
External links
- Official website (archived at archive.org)
- Pac/West: Tim Wigley, accessed March 2006.
- Paul D. ThackerPaul D. ThackerPaul D. Thacker, sometimes bylined as Paul Thacker, is an American journalist who specializes in science, medicine and environmental reporting. He has written for Science, Journal of the American Medical Association, Salon.com, and The New Republic, and Environmental Science & Technology...
, "Hidden ties: Big environmental changes backed by big industry Lobbyists and industry officials who once pushed for the president's Healthy Forests legislation now collaborate with Rep. [Richard] PomboRichard PomboRichard William Pombo is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
to alter the Endangered Species Act", Environmental Science & Technology, March 8, 2006.