California Sues Bush Administration to Block Endangered Species Rules

Staff Writer, Jan 21, 2009

Last minute endangered species regulations set out by the Bush Administration cause California to sue to try and block the regulations. The regulations were intended to reduce input from federal scientists, announced Attorney General Jerry Brown on Tuesday.

However Brown also said that Bush would be trying to cut the act before leaving office in the next month.

"Unfortunately, the Bush administration has had an antipathy to using sound science," Brown said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "This is the latest assault as Bush goes out the door. It's intolerable."

Late Monday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco the lawsuit was filed.

The revised rules were issued by the Interior Department this month allowing federal agencies to issue permits for logging, mining, as well as other environmental “activities” without getting a review or permission from federal wildlife biologists. That is of course if their own research can prove that their product will not affect surrounding plants and wildlife.

There are also a few other results of the changes including the reviewing of projects such as new coal plants or roads on federal land will force agencies to not use the Endangered Species Act in order to consider and determine the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on ecosystems.

Tina Kreisher, the spokeswoman of Interior Department, said that threatened and endangered species will continue to be protected under the revised rules and went on to say that the law states federal agencies will ensure that no listed animals are killed.

The lawsuit has also named The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The National Marine Fisheries, and the U.S. Department of Commerce as defendants. Brown has asked that the court block the new rules in order to give time for incoming president elect Barack Obama and his administration to take power. Obama has said that he will work to reverse any of the changes that have been made due to the fact that they will be implemented before he is sworn in. However Obama will have to restart the lengthy rule process that could eventually take up to a year to resolve. However people that are affected by the changes remain hopeful that Barack Obama can do something to improve the situation.