Earth Equity News

Bush Administration Wants to Let Federal Agencies Make Endangered Species Decisions by Themselves. MSNBC, August 11, 2008. "The Bush administration on Monday said it plans to let federal agencies decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants. The proposal, which does not require the approval of Congress, would reduce the mandatory, independent reviews that government scientists have been performing for 35 years. Developers welcomed the plan, while environmentalists derided it. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said late Monday the changes were needed to ensure that the Endangered Species Act would not be used as a 'back door' to regulate the gases blamed for global warming. In May, the polar bear became the first species declared as threatened because of climate change... 'These changes are designed to reduce the number of unnecessary consultations under the ESA so that more time and resources can be devoted to the protection of the most vulnerable species,' the Interior Department said in its announcement."