I am ill. I donated, fought for, and voted for Obama because I thought he could repeal all the stupid pigheaded wrong decisions of the Bush Administration, most especially on global warming. Now the AP reports that he's not going to change one of the most stupid, pigheaded, wrong rules to come out of those dark days. Instead, he's going to "further study" whether greenhouse gases will hurt the polar bear, and by implication the rest of the planet. Is there anyone who can save this planet from ourselves?
For those who haven't been paying attention, here's the background. Once an animal is listed on the Endangered Species List, the gov't must protect its habitat. Once a spotted owl is determined to be endangered, its forests can't be logged. The polar bear is endangered listed as threatened -- no sane person would argue with that -- and it's being endangered/threatened by global warming. Under great pressure, the Bush administration listed the polar bear BUT carved out an exception that we can't do anything to protect it outside the Arctic. In other words, the EPA would not regulate greenhouse gases to protect the polar bear (and, ultimately, the planet).
Obama could have taken a stand here. He chose instead to "further study" the matter. How much longer do we need to wait?
A year ago, the iconic polar bear was declared a threatened species because global warming is causing a severe decline in Arctic sea ice, the bear's habitat. But the Bush administration rules limit that protection, saying no action outside the Arctic region could be considered a threat to the bear under the law.
Environmentalists have strongly opposed the rule as have many members of Congress. They argued the limits violate the Endangered Species Act because the release of greenhouse gases from power plants, factories and cars indirectly threaten the bear's survival.
....
Salazar was expected to say that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will further study the limitations established by the "special rule" issued by the Bush administration in March 2008 when the bear was officially declared a threatened specie because of the reduction in Arctic sea ice, which is the bear's habitat.
I'm sorry for throwing up such a short, and emotional, diary. Salazar will hold a press conference later today. I'll update later, IF I have the stomach.
Updates with press conference and calmer analysis: Salazar states that "rescinding the Bush rule "would provide no more protection for the polar bear and result in uncertainty and confusion about the management of the species"; besides, "the answer to dealing with global warming rests in a broader, comprehensive approach that limits greenhouse gases." More AP sourcing I suppose I should take heart from that, but honestly I can't.
First, I fear that comprehensive climate change legislation is going to be hopelessly watered down. I trust science more than I trust Congress on this issue. Also, if not now, when? Regulation of greenhouse gases can't wait -- we're probably past the tipping point already. The polar bear listing should be grounds for a temporary, but broad and comprehensive, regulation of greenhouse gases while Congress dithers about passes a permanent set of regulations. In legalese, grant the temporary injunction now, then go back and argue the permanent injunction later.
Second, as I noted in a couple of comments, this is not an issue that warrants further study. Bush faced enormous pressure from scientists' overwhelming evidence that the polar bear population was being threatened by melting sea ice. Not listing the bear would have been the single most disingenuous environmental act of his administration. Instead, he carved out a special exception -- one that does not exist in the Endangered Species Act or any other law -- that barred the usual remedy, protection of habitat, from being applied outside the polar bear's immediate range. The exception was blatantly political. The question before Obama was not whether to list the polar bear, nor what to do about it -- the question was whether to let the Bush exception to the rule stand.
Thanks for putting this on the rec list, but I'm still ill.