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Defenders News Briefs: Spring 2009
Rolling
Back a Rollback
In a final snub to science, the Bush Interior Department in
its last days issued new regulations to undermine the Endangered Species Act.
The move was aimed at eliminating the requirement that federal agencies seek
expert advice from biologists before building dams, highways and other projects
that could harm imperiled species. Defenders worked with Sen. Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.) and Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) to ensure the final 2009 funding bill
included language paving the way for the Obama administration to reverse the
rules. Defenders also worked with Sen. Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer
(D-Calif.) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) to defeat an amendment by Sen. Lisa
Murkowski (R-Alaska) that would have rendered the language ineffective. Learn more about the issues surrounding the Endangered Species Act.
Beleaguered
Belugas
Add
the Cook
Inlet
beluga whale to the list of species Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin doesn't think needs
protecting. Although the National Marine Fisheries Service declared the belugas
endangered in October after an extensive scientific review, the state of
Alaska
recently announced its intent to challenge the listing. "Once again Palin has
demonstrated her lack of understanding of the science that clearly supports the
listing of this endangered species," says Karla Dutton, director of Defenders'
Alaska
office. Get updates regarding the beluga whale.
Victory via Veto
Extinction is forever. But when wildlife habitat is protected
in perpetuity, such catastrophic losses can be prevented. That's why when
Florida legislators moved this
winter to slash funding for Florida Forever—a state program that has already
safeguarded more than 1 million acres of land critical to panthers, bears, sea
turtles and manatees—Defenders' activists went to work with letters and phone
calls to Gov. Charlie Crist's office. The governor vetoed the bill, which would
have cut funding to the program by 80 percent. "The state of
Florida is fortunate to have such
an ally in conservation," says Laurie Macdonald, Defenders'
Florida director.
Wolf
Kills Continue in Alaska
With
wolves still in the rifle scopes of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and other state
officials, who continue to back aerial shooting as predator control, more than
130 wolves were killed this season. That makes nearly 900 wolves killed since
2003. To end the carnage, Defenders continues to campaign in Congress for the
Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act, which would close the loophole in a
federal law that Alaska
officials have exploited as they authorize pilots to chase wolves to exhaustion
before landing the plane and shooting them to boost game populations. As this
issue went to press, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) was expected to reintroduce
the act in Congress. Defenders anticipates a companion bill will also be filed
in the Senate. Learn more about aerial hunting.
