Posted in Corruption Watch, Eco Thugs, Endangered Species, Global Warming, Government Shenanigans, Humane Treatment of Animals, News Brief, Presidential Crimes & Misdemeanors, Sustainable Values on May 8th, 2008
ADMINISTRATION ORDERED TO DECIDE ON POLAR BEARS ELIGIBILITY FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION BY MAY 15th
Good news for our furry white friends, the Polar Bears, came earlier this week when a courageous federal judge ruled that the Bush Administration had violated federal law by delaying it’s decision as to whether it will allow polar bears to receive protection under the Endangered Species Act.
In her ruling, Judge Claudia Wilken of Federal District Court in Oakland, Calif., ordered the Bushies to make such a decision by May 15th or be held in contempt of court. Additionally the judge ordered that the decision take effect immediately, setting aside the usual 30-day grace period
Currently, our nation’s polar bear population faces the threat of extinction from rising temperatures and rapidly melting sea ice, two conditions, which have caused food shortages, and led to the destruction of much of their native Alaskan habitat.
Kudos to our friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Center for Biological Diversity, and Greenpeace for pursuing and financing the litigation, which led to this important victory.
Not surprisingly, the boys and girls in the executive branch have used the delay to ram through questionable gas and oil leases in the area in question.
Additionally, if I had to venture a guess as to whether the polar bears will receive endangered species protection from the Bush administration, my guess would be no. Drilling in the Artic has long been a goal of the Bush administration and granting polar bears protected status would bring an end to such activities.
Thankfully, the NRDC, for one, has pledged to continue the good fight until all of America’s polar bears win the protection they so urgently need. Should any of our loyal readers have a few spare bucks lying around – I know, what’s the chance of that in this economy – consider sending them off with a letter of support to the good people at any of the groups listed above.
- LIB