Bush ready to gut Endangered Species Act.

[Godiva]

Mostly to prevent it being used in conjunction with Global Warming. Like with the Polar Bears.

Bush to relax endangered species rules.

"Parts of the Endangered Species Act may soon be extinct. The Bush administration wants federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.

New regulations, which don't require the approval of Congress, would reduce the mandatory, independent reviews government scientists have been performing for 35 years, according to a draft first obtained by The Associated Press.


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. Warming temperatures are expected to melt the sea ice the bear depends on for survival.


The draft rules would bar federal agencies from assessing the emissions from projects that contribute to global warming and its effect on species and habitats."


The interior secretary with his pants down.

[dogfriend]

One more trophy on the mantle for the Worst President Ever™.

Is that too political of a statement? Apology in advance, but he is leaving quite a legacy. But not a good one.

[SSimon]

Yes, because why not dismantle an Act with a 99% efficacy rate?

I just read the links and the intended changes seem to be driven by cost increases due to the impositions of the ESA. So once again, we have short sighted gain for long term consequence.

[tripp]

JAN can't come soon enough. What a w@nker.

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by tripp

JAN can't come soon enough. What a w@nker.

My father's birthday is Jan 20 (he will be 87). He has already mentioned numerous times that he will be getting a new president for his birthday.

[FL_Prius_Driver]

Is this full circle? CARB was sued by the federal government for setting local emission/environmental standards (EV1 story)....and now the logic is that the federal government should let local standards prevail?

[Dipena]

I get the feeling that this is something he's wanted to do along, but he was just distracted by the "need" to wage a bogus war. Remember that debate in 2004 where he smirked and said that he was a good steward of the environment.

[Godiva]

It was tried once before and failed to pass Congress. So now he's trying an end-run. I hope Congress blocks it.

I agree. What a moron. Like his legacy wasn't already in the toilet, now he has to keep flushing.

[bac]

Originally Posted by Godiva

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.

Because we wouldn't want to regulate global warming gasses ... no sir. Global warming is a myth, don't you know.

... Brad (still ashamed of our "leadership")

[TimBikes]

It is an interesting situation...

While I advocate for habitat preservation, with the polar bear situation / "global warming" it is a situation that, for every federal permit that might allow directly or indirectly for increased emissions of hydrocarbons, it could be considered an act that might impact the polar bear, and thus could be prevented.

I'm all for polar bears, but that seems like a recipe for very poor public policy decisions.