Bush Plans to Make The Endangered Species Act Extinct

[Guest guest]

Bush Plans to Make The Endangered Species Act Extinct

By Amanda Terkel, Think Progress

Posted on August 12, 2008, Printed on August 12, 2008

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.thinkprogress.org//94688/

 

 

Yesterday, the AP reported on new draft rules being proposed by the

Bush administration to gut the Endangered Species Act. These would be

the biggest change to the groundbreaking legislation since 1988, and

would not require the approval of Congress.

 

Currently, federal agencies are required to consult with an

independent agency -- the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the

National Marine Fisheries Service -- to determine whether a project

would harm an endangered species. The AP reports that under the new

rules, agencies would simply be able to " decide for themselves " :

 

 

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 obtained by The

Associated Press.

 

 

The draft rules also would bar federal agencies from assessing the

emissions from projects that contribute to global warming and its

effect on species and habitats.

 

This measure mirrors legislation proposed in 2005, by then-Rep.

Richard Pombo (R-CA), a close ally of Jack Abramoff. Pombo proposed

weakening the Endangered Species Act. Among other measures, Pombo's

bill would have eliminated review by the FWS or the Fisheries

Service, allowing agencies to pursue unspecified " alternative

procedures. " Pombo's GOP-majority House cleared his bill, but it

failed to go anywhere in the Senate. Bush is now bypassing Congress

to push the legislation forward before he leaves office.

 

The Bush administration has been attempting to bypass or kill the

Endangered Species Act for years. Recently, Homeland Security

Secretary Michael Chertoff used his power to waive federal laws,

including the Endangered Species Act, in order to expedite building

the U.S.-Mexico border fence. Unclear if the new rules are the doing

of Vice President Cheney, who has been maneuvering increased control

over environmental policies.

 

UpdateInterior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is backing the rule

changes, " saying they will ensure the statute is not used as a 'back

door' to regulate the gases blamed for global warming. "

 

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American

Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and

ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.

 

© 2008 Think Progress All rights reserved.

View this story online at:

http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.thinkprogress.org//94688/