Quote Originally Posted by Blubb View Post
Is there something European snake keepers can do? I assume we don't have any influence whatsoever in the Lacey Act. Or am I wrong?
I am not sure it will help, but I would suggest emailing USFWS even if you are outside the US. I don't see how it could hurt. Here is the contact info, and a version of the letter you can use, in case you don't have one already.

Email Address: prevent_invasives@fws.gov.

Subject Line (please use this as the subject of your email): Categorical Exclusion; FWS–HQ–FHC–2013–N044

As a member of the herpetoculture community I am against the proposed US Fish & Wildlife “Categorical Exclusion” from NEPA mandates and I would like to support Senate EPW Ranking Member Vitter’s request for a 90 day extension on the public comment period.

This type of Categorical Exclusion is too far reaching and without precedent. It could facilitate the arbitrary addition of animals to the injurious wildlife list of the Lacey Act; potentially threatening the entire $1.4 billion annual commerce in reptiles and amphibians. Not only would it negate due process, but it would also negate legal recourse under NEPA. Categorical Exclusion could potentially become a tool to destroy my small business. Please consider the following points:

The proposed categorical exclusion bypasses the requirement to consider economic and social impacts under NEPA.
A categorical exclusion would not allow FWS to fully consider the beneficial impacts of declining to list a species under the Lacey Act.
The proposed categorical exclusion is much broader than any of the other eight exclusions that FWS has approved under “permitting and regulatory functions”.
The FWS’s “extraordinary circumstances” exception to a categorical exclusion is unhelpful because it does not apply to actions with high economic impacts.
Thank you.