[env-trinity] Endangered Species Endangered

[Byron Leydecker]

Bush rushes to weaken endangered species law

Dina Cappiello, Associated Press

Thursday, November 20, 2008

(11-20) 04:00 PST Washington -- 

Animals and plants in danger of becoming extinct could lose the protection
of government experts who make sure that dams, highways and other projects
don't pose a threat, under regulations the Bush administration is set to put
in place before President-elect Barack Obama can reverse them.

*
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/19/politics/p15594
7S35.DTL> Dems: Napolitano emerges for Homeland Security job 11.20.08 

The rules must be published Friday to take effect before Obama is sworn in
Jan. 20. Otherwise, he can undo them with the stroke of a pen.

The Interior Department rushed to complete the rules in three months over
the objections of lawmakers and environmentalists who argued that they would
weaken how a landmark conservation law is applied.

The latest version has changed little from the original proposal, despite
the more than 250,000 comments received since the change was proposed in
August, according to a Nov. 12 copy obtained late Wednesday by the
Associated Press.

The rules eliminate the input of federal wildlife scientists in some
endangered species cases, allowing the federal agency in charge of building,
authorizing or funding a project to determine for itself it is likely to
harm endangered wildlife and plants.

Current regulations require wildlife biologists to sign off on these
decisions before a project can proceed, at times modifying the design to
better protect species.

The regulations also bar federal agencies from assessing emissions of the
gases blamed for global warming on species and habitats, a tactic
environmentalists have tried to use to block new coal-fired power plants.

Tina Kreisher, an Interior Department spokeswoman, could not confirm whether
the rule would be published before the deadline, saying only that the White
House was still reviewing it. But she said changes were being made based on
the comments received.

"We started this; we want to finish this," said Kreisher.

Byron Leydecker, JCT

Chair, Friends of Trinity River

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810

415 519 4810 cell

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(secondary)

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