Posted on 05/14/2008 11:33:13 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
US lists polar bear as threatened species
By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer 3 minutes ago
Government officials say the Interior Department has decided to protect the polar bear as a threatened species because of global warming.
The officials told The Associated Press the bears are threatened by the decline in Arctic sea ice. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the official announcement was to come from Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. He scheduled a news conference Wednesday.
The action comes a day before a court-imposed deadline on deciding whether the bear should be put under the protection of the federal Endangered Species Act.
The department will cite studies by its own scientists saying the decline in Arctic sea ice could result in two-thirds of the polar bears disappearing by mid-century.
Sounds like it's time to go hunting.
I be McCain has a big ‘ol grin on his puss right now.
This will open the door for regulation of CO2, assumed to be the cause of global warming and the reduced ice.
Idiots, just fricking IDIOTS!!
Grrrrrrr.
So it is not really endangered, but it may be in the future. WTF?
Government has gone absolutely NUTS!!
The bureaucrats know they have to validate the global warming fuzzy branding symbol since all the current prez candidates are on the cap and trade dole.
Someday, we’re going to come to our senses and just say NO! Sanctions from our federal govt? Screw you. Perhaps we could start with an owl hunting fest in the northwest forests. (Nope, I’m not serious about the owls. Perhaps a bureaucrat huntfest would be better. I’m only half not serious on that.)
By a strict reading of the NEPA, what Interior has actually done is place Arctic sea-ice on the endangered species list.
Will anyone at the “press conference” have the cajones to ask them about it?
[cue: crickets chirping]
Just another flunky bureaucratic Big Government move, in lock step with AlGore's agenda.


Well, we can kiss ANWR goodbye now. I’d like to know who these anonymous government officials are so we can vote them out of office.
yep. Bush administration caves again.
Anyone who thinks polar bears are threatened or endangered should be required to swim with one.
You know, I stubbed my big toe this morning. The cause? Global warming.
I burned my toast this morning. The cause? Global warming.
I cut myself shaving this morning. The cause? Global warming.
I guess this foolishness isn’t going to end soon.
Ugh.
Game over for economic freedom. From what I understand about the ESA with polar bears listed that impowers the Dept of Interior to do basically anything it wants to protect polar bears. Since the “threatened” status is based on “projections” of disappearing ice sheets the bureaucrats in the Fed can do anything it wants, without Congressional approval, to stop this “threat” to the bears habitat. Based on my limited understanding of the language of the ESA, the Feds have no obligation to take into account any harm to humans these policies have. Bush has just allowed Kyoto type regulations without the need for a vote in Congress. Can we start saying $200 a barrell for oil, etc?
feed them cheeseburgers:
ABC Wants You to Fight Global Warming One Cheeseburger at a Time
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080514095738.aspx
Its not enough for the media to try to brainwash the public the Earth is in peril due to global warming. Now theyre telling you what to eat.
This is something you might expect to hear at a PETA rally, but instead it was ABCs May 13 World News with Charles Gibson telling you to curb your beef consumption to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
You are staring into the face of one thing scientists say you can do to fight climate change, ABC correspondent Dan Harris said as the face of a cow filled the screen. Leave this cow alone and eat less beef. According to the United Nations, 18 percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions comes from sending beef and dairy products to your kitchen table.
*** By the looks of Fat Al, he’s doing his part, too.
The world has gone mad.
I bet 90+% of the people have no idea of just how important and far reaching this decision is.
All they see is frolicking bears sharing Cokes with Penguins, this decision is gonna be used like you won’t believe.
It sets a precedence for just about anything else the wacko left want it to, just watch how fast this decision gets twisted around to effect everything else now.
This makes me sick just thinking about it.
Beat ya by 12 seconds!
16 - 20 Billion BBls in ANWR
15 Billion BBls in the Chukchi
12 Billion BBls in the Beaufort
Thats 30 years of Saudi Oil imports.
Polar bears love $15.00 per gallon gas, I hope the USA does too.
Unreal - just watch for this asinine decision to have all sorts of negative consequences as cases are brought through the courts demanding all kinds of changes in order to “save the polar bears!”
Aren’t the polar bear populations several times higher than they were a few decades ago? This is a politically driven decision to enable the liberal bureaucRATs and judges to start forcing all kinds of other b.s. on us to “save the polar bears”......
One species that most definitely is on the increase would be WEASELS....... we have an explosion of the weasel population among RINOs, Demagogues, and bureaucrats.
Kempthorne would not do this if Bush didn’t agree. I blame Bush. He’s a genuine disappointment as president.
LOL!
Saw a report that soot from ships in the Arctic is a major component of the condition of the sea ice. Wouldn’t be GW, then.
I don't know when, but there will be a revolt of the people who have to 'bear' the burden of the high prices against this kind of lunatic decision. A lot of people are going to suffer for a bear that is NOT threatened. Politicians who support this beware: Your time is coming someday, and you will be voted out.
Be sure to list the 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas at Prudhoe and the $30 billion pipeline project.
Time to speak revolution, the gov’t has already multiple times committed high crimes and treason against it’s citizens, this one puts our entire economy and position of power in the world at stake for an animal that is doing just fine.
Yea we're done, politicians and enviro-nutjobs just don't realize it yet. May as well call Beijing and let the Chinese have Alaska. We ain't using it and they won't care about the polar bears.
Let Mexico have Texas back. Won't be able to drill there either.
Let Cuba have the coast of Florida.
May as well have a fire sale. Everything must go. All to save the Polar Bears!
Fraking idiot bureaucrats.
Should probably also declare the kingsnake, sandgrouse and alligator endangered because of the global cooling that’s been happening over the past decade.
Unbe-friggin-lievable.
Should probably also declare the kingsnake, sandgrouse and alligator endangered because of the global cooling that’s been happening over the past decade.
Unbe-friggin-lievable.
It’s time to get rid of these loons. Vote them all out this Fall and work to get rid of activists judges. Or else, it won’t be long before we’re on the endangered species list.
The scientific name of the Polar Bear is Ursus Marinus. These frickin idiots think they are drowning. I can’t find any reasonable research which says their numbers are declining.
This is yet another massive push to save the polar bear. I saw a talking head from the TV show E.R. stating that the polar bear will become extinct by 2010.
Let the liberals send checks, leave my wallet alone socialist.
“Bring on the lawsuits against my barbecue and ATV.”
Believe me, that’s coming, is already here.
The eco commies are already targeting ATVs on public lands.
FYI Hugh Hewitt’s day job is environmental impact lawyer....
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog
Polar Bear Decision Day
Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 2:24 PM
If Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne announces that the polar bear is now officially “threatened,” the impacts on the American economy will be extreme and almost certainly not anticipated or understood by the public at large.
Background column number one here.
Background column number two is here.
The Endangered Species Act operates in a very unaccountable fashion, and if the polar bear is listed as a “threatened” species, every federal action —the grant of a permit, the award of a grant— that leads even indirectly to the emission of greenhouse gases will come under at least the theoretical review of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service pursuant to Section 7 of the ESA. MSM continues to report the controversy as though its impact will be limited to the arctic region, when in fact it is as likely to delay or destroy economic activity in any part of the lower 48 as it is in Alaska.
The immediate response of impacted industries and consumers should be a series of test cases to force the delineation of the reach of the Act’s application to the polar bear and the gases allegedly causing the destruction of its ice habitat, test cases brought in jurisdictions most reasonable on such matters. Allowing the ESA to slowly ensnare industries previously unregulated by its commands via suits in jurisdictions cheryy-picked by environmental activists would be the worst possible result.
UPDATE: The bear is listed. We are all now officially polar bear predators now.
Next will come court actions to stop all manufacturing and transportation in the United States. They will kill our country. The left has won because of stupid idiots in the federal government and congress.
Russia will no doubt also cease oil/gas production from their Arctic region immediately, and Canada as well. Or is it just Alaskan polar bears?
This is the way the world ends - not with a bang but a whimper...
A poll that needs to be FReeped...http://www.startribune.com/polls/18939959.html
Has McCain apologized to Polar Bears everywhere yet?
It seems the enviro nut cases have infiltrated the Interior Department as well as state Fish & Game Departments. Lord help us!
Thanks for the ping, girl.
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