"At a time when species like the polar bear are increasingly threatened by global warming, we need to strengthen the Endangered Species by promoting science, not politics. Increased oil and gas drilling, poor management of salmon recovery program and rivers, and policies that promote global warming are all threats that have greatly increased in the last six years. There has also been less funding for vital fish and wildlife programs."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 27, 2007 

Contact: 
Kristina Johnson (415) 977-5619 


Bush proposes dismantling the Endangered Species Act 
Statement of Sean Cosgrove, Senior Representative 


"Today several news accounts have exposed what many wildlife agency managers and conservationists have known for years--the Bush administration is on a multi-year campaign to completely dismantle endangered species protections by suppressing scientific data and undermining the work of wildlife biologists. Internal copies of Department of Interior deliberations uncovered by the Center for Biological Diversity and Public Employees for Environmental Ethics show that the Bush administration's draft regulations constitute a sweeping, across the board re-write for endangered species protection." 

"This kind of secretive policy making is the hallmark of the Bush administration's anti-environmental attacks.. Salon.com reports that even Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall was involved in the cover-up, telling other Fish and Wildlife Service employees to keep the documents secret so as not to 'stir up discontent.'" 

"At a time when species like the polar bear are increasingly threatened by global warming, we need to strengthen the Endangered Species by promoting science, not politics. Increased oil and gas drilling, poor management of salmon recovery program and rivers, and policies that promote global warming are all threats that have greatly increased in the last six years. There has also been less funding for vital fish and wildlife programs." 
. 
"We have had far too much of this administration undermining the hard work of career wildlife professionals, and exploiting the public's goodwill toward wildlife protection. The Bush administration is simply trying to complete in secret the work of destroying endangered species protections that former Congressman Richard Pombo could not do in the public arena. We need Congress to put a stop to the Bush administration's new regulations and we need Bush administration political appointees to be held accountable for undermining their own employees." 



Kristina Johnson
Associate Press Secretary
Sierra Club
Office: (415) 977-5619
Cell: (541) 914-9744
85 Second Street - 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105-3459
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