Scientists Protest New Reading of Endangered Species Act

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2007/may/01/050108337.html

More than three dozen scientists are protesting a new Bush administration interpretation of the Endangered Species Act, saying it jeopardizes animals such as wolves and grizzly bears.

John Vucetich, a wildlife biologist at Michigan Tech University, and Michigan State University environmental ethicist Michael Nelson have circulated a letter opposing the revised policy. It was being sent this week to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and leaders of congressional committees that oversee the department.

The change would enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers the endangered species program, to protect animals and plants only where they are battling for survival. It wouldn't have to restore them in areas where they've died out, or protect them where they're in good shape.

"The senior career biologists who run the endangered species program are supportive of this," Interior spokesman Hugh Vickery said. "It enables them to focus their limited resources on areas where species are truly threatened or endangered."

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[nam78_two]

1. K&R.nt

[rpannier]

2. If scrubbie had his way

at the top of the Endangered Species list would be American Billionaires.
In order to 'save' them he'd make them all tax exempt.

Fact is...this republikkan party doesn't give a damn about wildlife or nature in general -- unless it's their pristine mowed lawns and non-indigenous plant-filled gardens.
Since they and their supporters believe Jesus is coming this year, or next year, maybe the year after that...certainly in the next thirty years, their attitude is "Why bother."

To borrow from reagan's Secretary of the INterior james watt, "When Jesus comes he's going to ask us why we didn't use the resources God gave us properly."

[YankeyMCC]

3. kick

these are criminal and immoral acts. Of course they are 'interpreting' the act this way, their goal is maintain the status quo...keep up consumption and the flawed model of development that exists today which is exactly contrary to the goal of the act which is to protect things and remove them from this flawed profit driven development model.

[depakid]

4. And look who just resigned and why

a contemptible figure if ever there was one....

WASHINGTON (AP) - An Interior Department official accused of pressuring government scientists to make their research fit her policy goals has resigned.

Julie MacDonald, deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, submitted her resignation letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, a department spokesman said Tuesday.

MacDonald resigned a week before a House congressional oversight committee was to hold a hearing on accusations that she violated the Endangered Species Act, censored science and mistreated staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

MacDonald was recently rebuked by the department's inspector general, who told Congress in a report last month that she broke federal rules and should face punishment for leaking information about endangered species to private groups.

Interior Department spokesman Hugh Vickery confirmed MacDonald's resignation but declined to comment further.

Environmentalists cheered the departure of MacDonald, who they say tried to bully government scientists into altering their findings, often without scientific basis. `Julie MacDonald's reign of terror over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is finally over,'' said Kieran Suckling, policy director of the Center for Biological Diversity. ``Endangered species and scientists everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6601371,00.html

[blondie58]

5. please save the Endangered Species Act before May 7

sorry!- try this link. If it doesn't work yet, Defenders of Wildlife has some information about it.

We need to stop this assault by the Bush Administration.

https://secure2.convio.net/dow/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr007=53tz1n2y52.app23a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=705

[Dragonbreathp9d]

6. link doesnt work