Two Weeks to Save the Endangered Species Act



Two Weeks to Save the Endangered Species Act



I pledge to...

<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27121">http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27121</a><br /><br /><strong>A crucial deadline is looming:</strong> By May 9, the Obama administration has to seize its opportunity to overturn last-minute Bush administration regulations that gut the Endangered Species Act, or it will miss the chance. The Bush rules exempt thousands of federal activities from review under the Endangered Species Act, and specifically exclude greenhouse gas emissions from regulation. <b>If this administration doesn't withdraw those "extinction rules" by May 9, they will stay in effect -- a disaster for endangered species.</b><br /><br />Congress specifically empowered Obama's secretaries of Commerce and Interior with the authority to overturn the Bush extinction regulations with the stroke of a pen. The secretaries of Commerce and Interior jointly administer the Endangered Species Act, with the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (under Commerce) responsible for marine species such as whales and sea turtles, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (in Interior) responsible for species such as wolves and polar bears.<br /><br />While more than 80,000 people have written to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar demanding he revoke the Bush rules, Gary Locke has only recently been confirmed as secretary of Commerce and has yet to take a position on the issue. Similarly, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the new head of the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration, has failed to take a public position on rescinding the extinction rules.<br /><br /><b>Please contact Secretary Locke and Dr. Lubchenco and urge them to immediately revoke the Bush extinction regulations.<br /><br /><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27121">http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27121</a><br /><br />
<p><strong>Sample letter:</strong></p>
<p>Subject: Rescind the Bush Extinction Regulations!</p>
<p>I strongly oppose the Bush administration's illegal and illogical regulations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, which reduce protections to imperiled species and create an exemption for greenhouse gas emissions.<br /><br />I request that you revoke these regulations immediately, within the 60-day window provided by Congress for their removal. The Endangered Species Act has a proven track record of success at reducing all threats to species, and it makes absolutely no sense, scientifically or legally, to exempt greenhouse gas emissions - the number-one threat to many species - from this successful system.<br /><br />This is a critical moment for the new administration. President Obama pledged on the campaign trail that he would toss out these misguided regulations. Please do not be responsible for breaking this important campaign promise to the American people.</p>
<p>Please take action by May 9, 2009.</p>
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