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Bush Administration Launches Assault on Endangered Species Act in Its Closing Days
Federal agencies would no longer have to consult with wildlife scientists prior to launching projects if they decide the projects will have no effect on endangered species under regulations proposed by the Bush administration. Audubon strongly opposes the plan because allowing agencies to do 'self-consultations' amounts to putting the foxes in charge of the henhouse. The proposed rule changes disregard crucial scientific opinions and put endangered species at even greater risk.
This proposal is the most significant, detrimental change to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in years. Consultations with Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) often expand project concentration to consider nearby habitat and long-term effects. The proposal was subjected to a 60-day comment period, after it was published in the Federal Register. On October 14, 2008, Audubon filed comments with the Department of Interior protesting the changes to the regulations. Audubon alerted its grassroots activists, who submitted thousands of comments condemning the proposal. Despite the effort, the administration is planning to finalize the plan before departing in January 2009.
The strongest federal safeguard against the extinction of bird species in the United States is the ESA. Enacted in 1973, the ESA has helped save some of America's most critically imperiled birds and wildlife and their critical habitats, including species like the Bald Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear, and the Whooping Crane.
Read Audubon's comments. (85kb Adobe PDF)
Read our press release.
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