Obama shelves Bush-era species rule (Good news)

[Guest guest]

Source > http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?afid=1 & aid=29490531

 

President Barack Obama on Tuesday shelved a Bush-era rule that critics say

weakened protections for animals and plants protected by the Endangered Species

Act.

" We should be looking for ways to improve it, not weaken it, " Obama said of the

Endangered Species Act. He spoke at an Interior Department ceremony to mark the

department's 160th anniversary.

 

In December, the Bush administration finalized regulations that allow agencies

to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction

projects might harm animals and plants listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The Bush-era rule reduces the mandatory, independent reviews government

scientists have performed for 35 years. It also prohibits federal agencies from

assessing a project's contribution to global warming when they evaluate its

effect on species.

The Bush administration argued its rule would streamline development requests

without harming wildlife.

 

Presidential memorandum

Obama signed a presidential memorandum to put on hold the regulation until the

Interior and Commerce departments complete a review of it.

At least for now, the two agencies will resume full scientific reviews of

projects that might harm endangered wildlife and plants.

A conservation group that had sued to overturn the Bush-era rule welcomed the

news.

" Obama has swiftly delivered on his campaign promise to reverse Bush's

anti-endangered species regulations, " Kieran Suckling, director of the Center

for Biological Diversity, told msnbc.com. " He has restored independent,

scientific oversight to the heart of the Endangered Species Act. "

 

Other activists praised the move as well. " Undoing the last administration's

damage to the Endangered Species Act will enable scientists to work with federal

agencies and ensure that new projects do not harm threatened wildlife, " said

Andrew Wetzler, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's endangered

species program.

Those threats extend offshore, noted Vicki Cornish of Ocean Conservancy. " Dozens

of marine animals are on the brink of extinction, " she said. " Only about 400

North Atlantic right whales, 350 Cook Inlet beluga whales and 1200 Hawaiian monk

seals remain, and there is a severe decline in numbers of nesting leatherbacks

in the Pacific. "

 

Congressional action

Democrats in Congress are attempting to reverse the rule via legislation. House

Democrats wrote a provision into a spending bill that passed last month, leading

Republicans to cry foul.

 

" This is a backdoor maneuver to create vast new climate change powers without

any public comment or involvement of the American people, " said Rep. Doc

Hastings, R-Washington, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee.

Hastings on Tuesday also criticized Obama. " Our country is in the midst of a

terrible economic recession and the federal government should not be taking

actions that could stall vital transportation, infrastructure and energy

projects that create new jobs. "

The Senate has yet to act on the issue.

 

Since taking office six weeks ago, Obama has directed his Cabinet to reverse or

review four Bush-era environmental and energy rules. Interior Secretary Ken

Salazar has shelved drilling plans off the East and West coasts, as well as on

federal land in Utah. He also shelved a plan to open up areas to oil-shale

development. Those plans will be reviewed, he said.

 

And Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, last month agreed

to review whether it should regulate carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired

power plants, portending a major reversal of the Bush administration's policy on

global warming.

 

© 2009 msnbc.com