Bush Plans to Make The Endangered Species Act Extinct
August 12, 2008Environment
Yesterday, the AP reported on new draft rules being proposed by the Bush administration to gut the Endangered Species Act. These would be the biggest change to the groundbreaking legislation since 1988, and would not require the approval of Congress.
Currently, federal agencies are required to consult with an independent agency -- the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the National Marine Fisheries Service -- to determine whether a project would harm an endangered species. The AP reports that under the new rules, agencies would simply be able to "decide for themselves":