Preserving Science in the Endangered Species Act
The Bush administration pushed through a highly controversial, 11th hour rule change that effectively exempted federal projects (like roads or dams) from Endangered Species Act review. UCS activists submitted thousands of comments opposing the rule. While our attempts to stop these flawed rules changes were unsuccessful, the combined outrage of both scientists and activists alike drew a great deal of attention to this critical issue.On March 3, 2009, President Obama signed a memo encouraging the secretaries of the Departments of Interior and Commerce to examine the rule changes. UCS staff, who were present at Obama's announcement, were able to show their support for his commitment to science at the Interior Department. The following week, Congress provided the administration with the authority to roll back the changes.
Before the bill passed, however, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined several colleagues in an amendment to the spending bill that would have stripped this critical authority from the bill. Scientists once again mobilized to oppose the amendment, and were successful in helping to ensure its defeat.
On April 27, more than 1,300 scientists released a letter urging the Obama administration to roll back this flawed rule and looking for other ways to strengthen the Endangered Species Act. And more than 13,000 activists wrote their own letters and made calls urging the secretaries to act.
Shortly thereafter, endangered species scored an important victory when the secretaries rescinded a large portion of the Bush rules, leaving intact a part that limits the types of information that scientists can consider in protecting the polar bear. They face a deadline of May 9, 2009 to fully rescind the rules.
