Greenzone Online

It seems things will be getting worse for the United States’ 1,300 endangered animals and plants. The Bush administration is altering regulations so federal agencies have the right to determine whether their construction projects will damage any of the endangered animals.
At the moment, agencies must meet standards instituted by the Wildlife Service, and the agencies’ biggest complaint is, of course, money. The proposal for the alterations is supported by the idea that these federal agencies now have the internal intelligence to properly protect the environment. The underlying complaint they have is simply that the Endangered Species Act and all its regulations slow down progress. It is almost like their claiming the animals won’t feel the difference.
Removing the voice of the Fish and Wildlife Service will be removing the voice of our rare species. Under these new rulings, certain cautions may be ignored. The polar bear, for instance, is under threat due to melting ice caps. The Endangered Species Act may lose its impact under these weaker restrictions and the polar bear will truly be in danger.
Congress is allowing a 30-day comment period. They are, however, pushing these alterations to be set by October, right before the presidential nomination. It can’t help but reek of suspicion and cruelty.
If you’re interested in being active to help the polar bears, the bald eagles, and the grey wolves, check out the Endangered Species Coalition, especially their “Stop Extinction Blog.”