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Endangered Species May Get Bush Brush-Off

Internal memo reveals plan to reduce protection

By Peter Fearon, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 27, 2007 7:41 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Bush administration is quietly rewriting the rules on enforcing the Endangered Species Act, drafting changes that some environmentalists say will fatally weaken protections for threatened wildlife. A 117-page internal proposal obtained by Salon would limit which animals could be effectively protected, cut back on the size of habitats preserved, and shift enforcement from the federal government to the states.

"This is a no-holds-barred end run around one of America's most popular environmental protections," says Jan Hasselman, a Seattle environmental attorney. Bush has never been a fan of the Endangered Species Act, Rebecca Clarren notes, and has given protected status to far fewer species than his three predecessors.

Bald Eagle (Archive Photos)

Bald Eagle (Earth Life Forms - Animals)

A cougar yawns following an afternoon nap, Friday, March 23, 2007 at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole) (Associated Press)

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Endangered Species May Get Bush Brush-Off

Internal memo reveals plan to reduce protection

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Wildlife Populations Plunging

One of 'great extinction episodes in history' unfolding: report

A Third of America's Bird Species in Trouble

Development sending large numbers of native species into decline

Bush Loosens Endangered Species Act

Another midnight ruling refuses protection to threatened animals

Hunters Take Aim at Gray Wolf

Animal no longer under federal protection in northern Rockies

Protections End for Gray Wolf

Wildlife groups say it's too soon to remove animals from endangered list

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Endangered Species May Get Bush Brush-Off

Internal memo reveals plan to reduce protection

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Bush administration • endangered species • environmentalism • Endangered Species Act • wildlife • species • threatened species • animal

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Wildlife Populations Plunging

One of 'great extinction episodes in history' unfolding: report

A Third of America's Bird Species in Trouble

Development sending large numbers of native species into decline

Bush Loosens Endangered Species Act

Another midnight ruling refuses protection to threatened animals

Hunters Take Aim at Gray Wolf

Animal no longer under federal protection in northern Rockies

Protections End for Gray Wolf

Wildlife groups say it's too soon to remove animals from endangered list

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

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More News

What is Newser?