14 DAY TRIAL // Long-standing effects and accomplishments that the Endangered Species Act achieved over the years could be wiped out in a single hasty decision by officials working with the Bush administration. In an attempt to make severe changes to the Act, the White House gathered 15 people in Washington to read through some 200,000 public opinions on the proposed modifications of the bill. All these comments need to be processed in 32 hours, spanning 4 days.
These modifications could have an incalculable effect on all species that have thus far been included in the bill, and yet the Bush administration decided to fit this complicated analyzing procedure, which usually takes several months, into just a few hours. The political interests behind this measure must be mind-boggling, if the politicians in Washington decided it was worth the risk to expose themselves to ravaging critics, from other politicians and large numbers of environmental groups.
This move makes no sense, especially considering that, recently, NOAA decided to include two more species into the Endangered Species Act, namely the polar bears and the beluga whales, of Alsaka's Cook Inlet, despite severe opposition from Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. In light of what's happening now, it may be that the public commentaries the politicians made at the time were nothing more than a front for their actions.
Basically, the purpose of the amendments this bogus commission is attempting to insert into the bill is to exclude greenhouse gas considerations from projects regarding the construction of dams or fossil-fuel powered electrical plants. Also, the opinion of federal biologists is to be disregarded on these matters as well.
Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, says that the deadline for the reads is a "last-ditch attempt to undermine the long-standing integrity of the Endangered Species program." Berkeley School of Law assistant professor Eric Biber said that he too had sent a 70-page comment to Washington and that "it would seem very difficult for them [the 15 readers] in four days to respond to so many thoughtful comments in an effective way."
Already, democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has vowed to reverse any changes to the Act that the current administration might make. However, the process of freezing a presidential initiative is very complex and may take a few months, if not years. For those of you how want to protest against this measure, contact Dirk Kempthorne and the Interior Department at phone: 202-208-3100 and E-Mail: [email protected].
