Bush Administration Eviscerates Endangered Species Act
The Bush administration today issued a final rule eliminating the Endangered Species Act requirement that federal agencies consult with independent scientists.
"This action eviscerates key protections that have helped safeguard and recover endangered fish, wildlife and plants for the past 35 years," said John Kostyack, Executive Director of Wildlife and Global Warming for the National Wildlife Federation.
"Our government is founded in a system of checks, balances and accountability," he said. "President Bush has violated each of these principles by finalizing this rule in his waning days of power."
The rule comes after eight years of overt hostility toward the Endangered Species Act, saving the worst attack for last.
"Wildlife and marine biologists form the pillars of scientific integrity that support the Endangered Species Act," Kostyack said. "Knocking them out of the decision-making process will erode the foundation of this bedrock law and make it significantly harder to protect endangered species.
"More than 200,000 citizens voiced their opposition to these rollbacks. Not only has the Administration chosen to move forward, they have made matters worse by barring federal agencies from addressing the reality of global warming and its impacts on imperiled wildlife. The Bush administration has demonstrated complete disregard for public opinion with this action."
The National Wildlife Federation will work through the courts and with Congress and the Obama administration to undo the damage done today.
Sign the Endangered Species Act Legacy Pledge today and show your support for protecting America's wildlife!
well, this seems rather inconsistant with Bush's principals. I know he is an avid outdoors-man and has passed several laws to protect the environment. This is a very one-sided article. If it's such an outrageous and insulting bill to pass... WHY is it being pushed forward. All I see in this article is someone whining about not getting what they want.
Posted by: stacy | December 11, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Wow, now THAT is some pretty cool stuff!
jes
www.online-privacy.se.tc
Posted by: Johhn Meyers | December 11, 2008 at 10:20 PM
@stacy:: I don't know where you got the idea that destroying the environment was against Bush's principles. The reality is that Bush has been a cancer on the environment from his first day in office and he certainly won't be missed when his corrupt butt is out to pasture in January.
Posted by: George | December 11, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Yes stacy, the fact that Bush is pushing it is all the proof you need that the bill must be good for the environment. Because he's an outdoors-man.
Posted by: MillionthMonkey | December 11, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Inconsistent with Bush's principals? HAH!
Doesn't surprise me that he
would use the last weeks of
his presidency to cripple
protective laws..
Let the Alaskan national
reserve drilling begin..
after all the necessary
environmental checks are
done from manufactured (ie.
non-independent) data, of
course
Posted by: Steve | December 11, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Yeah, Stacy... how do you define "outdoors-man" even? Riding snowmobiles around "enjoying" nature? Driving around in an enclosed, safe vehicle to look at the scenery surrounding highways?
Sitting around outside at a highly furnished cabin? Going hunting and shooting things? If he were actually an outdoors-man he wouldn't want to destroy what he loves. For what? For insta-money?
He's taking away some protection from ENDANGERED (i.e. almost GONE) species with this. Why shouldn't this be more than one-sided? Science is not balanced and should never be treated as such. That is why we haven't progressed more with fixing/slowing down global warming. All Bush is interested in is the business and short-term profit. Except he sent the economy to the shitter too... So...
There you go.
Posted by: brittany | December 11, 2008 at 10:50 PM
I'm sorry Stacy, but Bush and all his allies are nothing but a bunch of anti-environmental fascists. The fact that they have finally been kicked out gives me hope for this nation. The fact that there are still people out there who do not recognize them for what they are-- even after all the harm they have done to everything they have touched-- is chilling.
Posted by: Eugene Hayman | December 11, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Being a Bush supporter makes Stacey an endangered species. This president has done nothing but stuff his cronies pockets for 8 years now during the last 3 months there is this blur of activity.
Posted by: Patrick | December 11, 2008 at 10:53 PM
One thing is certain, scientific conclusions ought not ultimately rest on the direction of popular opinion. There is no "majority rule" in fact and consistent logic. Those are standards not dependent on what one "feels" is true or on what is most popularly held to be true. In science, at least ideally, a thing is either true or it is not quite independent of one's wishes. Scientific conclusions also ought not be dependent on policy or political winds. As so many have observed, the style of thinking characteristic of the U.S. presidential administration of the last eight years has been one that doesn't seem to value authentic fact and consistent logic - science, but rather what is the most politically expedient. All in all, the Bush administration's abysmal disrespect for rational science - a symptom of cultural trends we are hopefully escaping - presents an opportunity for the next administration to build quite a reputation by showing its respect for what is true over what is not, its deep regard for consistent reason opposed to irrationality, and a competence for cleaning up the messes of others while still making profound progress in the development of U.S. culture and of the species in general. We ought to thank the previous administration for the opportunity to illustrate the "right stuff" of better thinking and better action.
Of course, it will be an awful disaster if the new administration perpetuates the cultural disregard for authentic truth and good reasoning. We shall see.
Posted by: Naumadd | December 11, 2008 at 11:07 PM
"If it's such an outrageous and insulting bill to pass... WHY is it being pushed forward."
You don't get it. There was no bill. That's the point. It's done by executive order to circumvent congress. As legislation it could never have passed. Bush is doing this as a dictator. Unfortunately, it may be very difficult to undo.
Posted by: bob | December 12, 2008 at 12:59 AM
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=763vmCrRBDg
Posted by: hhuui | December 12, 2008 at 04:55 AM
Good. Environmentalist are in the way all the time and have come up with reasons to halt progress over false accusations.
Posted by: Good | December 12, 2008 at 05:38 AM
Jeepers Creepers! America is absolutely fuct! What is Bush' deal, im beginning to think he's missing a chromosome. God help us all!
Please, someone, shoot bush and put him on the endangered species list!
Posted by: khan | December 12, 2008 at 07:37 AM
Its stuff like this that makes me dislike george bush.
Posted by: Chetan | December 12, 2008 at 08:05 AM
I say DOWN with ANY politician who would sell the American people's representation to industry or corporations.
I hope all of you who are anti-Bush are willing to get in the mix and hold our new president to our expectations, otherwise he'll run amuck too.
Posted by: B | December 12, 2008 at 11:17 AM
You think Obama's gonna help with this? If he doesn't care about people killing babies, he's not gonna care about them killing animals...
Posted by: Bobby | December 12, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Yeah Bobby, because destroying the life of a young girl who got pregnant on accident, was raped or was just foolish is much better than making sure a non-aware pre-fetus baby isn't "killed". I tell you Bobby, all those damn big-city people live a God-forsaken life with all their cellphones and that iffernet thing.
Posted by: Martin | December 12, 2008 at 06:27 PM
http://wildlifesightingsanddiscoveries.blogspot.com/
Posted by: r | December 12, 2008 at 06:44 PM
Check out this reaaly interesting website(blog): http://wildlifesightingsanddiscoveries.blogspot.com/
Posted by: r | December 12, 2008 at 06:45 PM
Sorry Stacey, but that bill along with the war somehow got pushed through. Maybe think a bit about Bush's alterior motives? He's going down as the worst president in history for the US, and it's sad that not only the american people have had to suffer but also our beautiful country.
Posted by: Chuck D | December 13, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Its stuff like this that makes me dislike george bush...
Posted by: Alice | December 15, 2008 at 05:19 AM
Good. Environmentalist are in the way all the time and have come up with reasons to halt progress over false accusations...
Posted by: lokki | December 17, 2008 at 08:42 AM
I hope all of you who are anti-Bush are willing to get in the mix and hold our new president to our expectations, otherwise he'll run amuck too...
Posted by: Teddy | December 17, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Jeepers Creepers! America is absolutely fuct! What is Bush' deal, im beginning to think he's missing a chromosome. God help us all!
Please, someone, shoot bush and put him on the endangered species list!!
Posted by: Erik | December 20, 2008 at 12:57 PM
You think Obama's gonna help with this? If he doesn't care about people killing babies, he's not gonna care about them killing animals....
Posted by: Steave | December 22, 2008 at 08:00 AM
Thank goodness this guy is finally gone!
------
Fred Smilek is the acting president of the Society to Save Endangered Species. It was founded two years ago by Fred Smilek along with his two best friends Charles and Jonathan. The Society to Save Endangered Species has blossomed from a minute organization with three members to one with more than ten members. Since its inception the organization has been able to raise nearly $25,000 in funds.
It was Fred Smilek’s love and passion for rare and nearly extinct species that caused him to form this wonderful organization in 2006. Additional content about the history of wildlife conservation can be found here. If you have any questions regarding the Society to Save Endangered Species, Fred Smilek, or how you can help insure that these rare species are around for a long time to come have a look at Fred Smilek’s home page which can be found here.
http://www.fredjsmilek.com
Posted by: Hornetsquad | January 27, 2009 at 11:58 AM
why are u killing animals there are good for the eviment
Posted by: anna | May 07, 2009 at 05:25 PM
Its stuff like this that makes me dislike george bush.
Posted by: Justina | September 14, 2009 at 03:17 PM