My name is Mark Jester; I am the President of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen located in Pittsfield Massachusetts. The Berkshire County League of Sportsmen is an umbrella organization representing 20 regional clubs and just over 3200 sportsmen and conservationists. All of whom have a vested interest in preserving our proud outdoor heritage and protecting Massachusetts rich natural resources. The delegates of the league represent some ofthe mostdedicated sportsmen and sportswomen in the country, peoplewho arewilling to givetheirtime, effort and resources to insure that theirfellow sportsmen and future generations will be able to enjoythe pursuits that we have all had the opportunityto enjoy. The BCLS is considered to be one of the strongest, most effective and united organizations in the state. I am here today to talk to you as their representative about the EPA's proposed Clean Air Act and the effects of Carbon Pollution on Massachusetts habitatandwildlife. I have been hunting and fishing in Massachusetts for over 45 years. Both my father and grandfather introduced me and brothers and sisters to the outdoors as kids. My grandparents lived next doorto the LanesboroTown brook when I was growing up, one of Berkshire County's best kept secret for fishing spots up until this moment. Each spring on "Opening Day" of**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~------**



### fishing season, every kid that lived in Lanesboro, would be lined up elbow to elbowtrying to catch the big brook and rainbow trout that you could see from the narrow banks leading up to opening day. Each kid dreaming about catching the biggestfish in the stream, so they could proudly show it to their mom dad afterwards. Today, there is a mercury poison warning on that body of water and any fish caught should be released back into the polluted waters. In Massachusetts, there are 125 bodies ofwaterthat have mercury warnings on them. The fish that are caught in these lakes and ponds cannot be eaten and effectively all have become unofficial Catch & 

### Release Areas. In these financially troubled times, many sportsmen are forced to providetheirfamilies dinnerfrom these pollutedwaters. As a leader in the states' sporting community, I am often called upon by young parents asking about the waters in Western MA., are the fish that their kids catch safetoeat? Moretimesthan not, Ihaveto say "NO!" Myfirst hunting experiencewas going after rabbits with my grandfatherand his tri colored beagle named "Topper." It's one of my most favorite memories of all time. Hearing "OI'e Top" as my grandfather called him, bay, as he chased the rabbits round and round through the hedge rows of my uncle's farm. These experiences I have now passed on over the years to my children, fishing in the town brook, rabbit hunting with my ownbeagles, and now, hopefully, I'll be able to do the same with my four grandchildren who are still too young to take out to the woods and water. But Ihaveto say Iam doubtful Iwill be abletodoso ifthingsdon'tchange. Sportsmen are on the front line of conservation every day and have been forwell over200years. Weare in thewoods and on thewaterevery single dayofthe year. We arethewatchdogs and whistle blowerswhen it comes to protecting the environment. I am here today to tell you that there are problems, big problemswith our ecosystem, and the effects on ourwildlife
are severe.

A fewexamples:

• There are two species of cottontails in Massachusetts, the Eastern Cottontail and NewEngland Cottontail. In June2004, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) found that there was substantial need for protection ofthe New England cottontail underthe U.S. Endangered SpeciesAct and they initiated a review. In 2006, USFWS determined that a federal listing waswarranted, but pass overthem dueto other species listing priorities. However, the New England cottontail was given the highest priority in the Northeast. The New Englandcottontail is in decline duetothe lossoffavorable habitat, habitatthat is being destroyed byawarming climate.

• The comeback ofthe striped bass is in jeopardy. The Striped Bass has been heralded by sportsmen throughout as one of the great conservation success stories of the last 100 years. A highly regulated season with strict limits, Striped Bassfishing is one ofthe largest growing sectors in the sportsmen ranks. As afisherman, one ofmyfavorite pasttimes isStriperfishing in the spring and fall out on Cape Cod. Stripers are one ofjust a few big game fish that require such vastlydifferent habitats. Awarming climate is leadingto a rise in sea-levels that are destroying coastal marshes that serve as nurseriesforjuvenilestriped bass. Warmerwaters have a cascade of ill effects on thefish. Stripers absorbtoxic chemicals more quickly in water that has higher temperatures, and science has shown that striped bass with higher loads of Dioxins have a lower reproduction rate.
• As a final example, waterfowl hunting is as traditional as it gets for sportsmen. You have a dog, a shotgun and a fast moving quarry. The Black Duck isthe Holy Grail for duck hunters. They are big, fast and brawny. The Black duck has been identified as particularlysusceptible to the loss of breeding habitat associated with the ever increasing warmer climate. The highest breeding densities are found in the northeast, and Black ducks utilize a variety of habitat for breeding, such as alkaline marshes, acid bogs, lakes, and streams along with fresh, brackish and salt water marshes. Rising sea levels from warming climatesspell disasterforthisfragile species.

In 2006, 500,000 anglers and 70,000 hunters came to Massachusetts to hunt and fish on its lands and waters. Fishing and hunting are not just recreational pastimes; they are also a major contributor to the Massachusetts economy. These 570,000 sportsmen and women generated
over $800 million in revenue in that year alone. However, this rich communityoffish and game, and the economythatdependson it, is at risk from awarming world. For Massachusetts sportsmen, healthy populations of wildlife are necessary to support our economy and our outdoor inheritance.The EPA must be allowed to carry out its legal obligation to control carbon pollution that causes climate change from our country's biggest polluters, and Congress must oppose any and all attempts to undermine Clean Air Act programs. I leave you with this quote from former Republican Massachusetts Congressman Silvio Contefrom Pittsfield. Itwas delivered at a meeting of the delegates in 1984 and has become our mantra: "What the problem of preservation boils down to is this ---- ducks can't vote. Trees can't vote. Neithercan salmon, flowers, mountains orrivers. It's incumbent upon us as sportsmen to take on this weighty responsibility to serve this as our greatestconstituency"