Media Contacts
Cat Lazaroff
Communications Director
(202)
772-3270
Not a journalist but need help? Contact our Member Services
team:
1-800-385-9712
Sign up for our Press List
Get Defenders Headlines
Get the latest wildlife conservation news and information... right when we post it online.
For Immediate Release
Bush Eliminates Protections For Endangered Species As Part Of Forest Fire Initiative
New Regulations Released Hours After Bill Signing
WASHINGTON , DC -- The Bush administration released regulations late yesterday that remove protections for endangered species under the guise of fighting forest fires. The regulations, which gut many key provisions of the Endangered Species Act, were released hours after the President’s triumphant signing of his forest fire bill.
"The Bush administration is cynically using the threat of forest fire to justify eliminating key protections for endangered species," said Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations for Defenders of Wildlife. "The new Bush regulations cut federal wildlife agencies out of the loop on virtually all timber sales related to fire prevention. The regulations hand wildlife oversight responsibilities to agencies headed by former timber industry lobbyists appointed by the President."
"Once again, we see the Bush administration engaging in a stealth approach to governing, announcing unpopular regulations after hours, when no one is looking," continued Dewey. "The Bush administration regulations eliminate a vital check and balance on logging and other projects that could harm endangered species. Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation groups will be filing a lawsuit shortly seeking to make sure the protections provided by the Endangered Species Act continue to be applied to all timber sales," concluded Dewey.
Background
Currently, when the Forest Service or Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) develops a timber sale or other project that may affect
federally-listed threatened or endangered species or its critical habitat, they
are required to involve the federal wildlife agency responsible for the species
in a process known as “consultation”. The consultation process is the most
important check and balance that exists for ensuring the well being of listed
species and their habitats. It provides the Forest Service or BLM with the
expert views of the fish and wildlife agencies about the effects of a proposed
project, views the Forest Service and BLM cannot ignore if those agencies deem
formal consultation is required. The new regulation allows the Forest Service
and BLM to decide for themselves if logging projects they propose under the
National Fire Plan are not likely to adversely affect a threatened or endangered
species or their habitat. This change create the classic example of the “fox
guarding the henhouse” by having the agencies most focused on logging make these
important decisions without any input from the agencies responsible for wildlife
protection.
Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates
for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by
Worth magazine. With more than 450,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an
effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of
Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.
