Humpback whales, bald eagles and wolves are recovering thanks to the Endangered Species Act. But as they prepare to leave office, the Bush Administration is planning one last gift for its industry allies: gutting the Endangered Species Act from top to bottom. If they succeed, over a thousand endangered species will be threatened with extinction without recourse. Recovery successes like the bald eagle and grizzly bear will be a thing of the past.
A leaked draft of the plan shows Bush's intent to do away with the requirement to recover species. Bush's plan also gives states veto power over reintroduction programs and allows the destruction of critical habitat areas. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has provided critical protections for America's wildlife and the ecosystems upon which they depend. It has saved hundreds of species from extinction and put many more on the road to recovery.
Tell the Bush Administration: Hands Off The Endangered Species Act!
Dear President Bush:
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has provided critical protections for our nation's wildlife and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Most recently, the Act was lauded for its role in the recovery of the bald eagle, the quintessential symbol of the American spirit. The Endangered Species Act is highly effective in preventing listed species from becoming extinct.
But rewriting the Act and allowing states to veto species reintroduction programs, while also doing away with the requirement to recover species, completely undermines the Endangered Species Act. Such changes will only further imperil sensitive species. We owe future generations a better America, where conservation is valued and not thrown aside for short-term gain.
The Endangered Species Act was designed to protect extremely vulnerable species from extinction due to human-related activities. By rewriting the nation's endangered species policies in favor of industry and development, the heart of the Act will be ripped out - pushing wolves, grizzly bears, manatees, sea turtles and other endangered species closer to extinction.
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