Jeri Smith-Ready

A good day for critters

Last week's elections, on a national level, were seen as a referendum on the war in Iraq and corruption in Congress (voters don't like either--go figure). But one incumbent Congressman lost for an entirely different reason.

California Representative Richard Pombo, chair of the House Resources Committee, tried to gut the Endangered Species Act last year with legislation that passed the House but was blocked in the Senate (by Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee).

As Sunday's Baltimore Sun reported, the Pombo bill would have:

• Required the interior secretary to add species "only sparingly" and to prepare an analysis of the economic, national security, and "other relevant impacts" of the decision.

• Repealed the secretary's authority to set aside critical habitats.

• Required the secretary to compensate landowners for costs associated with complying with ESA conservation measures.

In other words, make it harder to protect endangered species.

Pombo also introduced legislation to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve to oil exploration. While some Republicans may love puppies*, the more conservative among them appear to have little affection for wildlife.

On November 8, the earth breathed a deep sigh of relief. Foxes frisked! Caribou cavorted! Geckos gamboled! Because the new chair of the House Resources Committee is Nick Rahall of West Virginia, whom the Defenders of Wildlife call a "Wildlife Hero."

Barbara Boxer is the new Senate Environment Chair, taking over from the maniacal James Inhofe, who once called global warming "the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people."

And in a sweep of karmic justice, Richard Pombo's own political career became extinct on Election Day.


*and are loved right back!

Labels: environment

• posted by Jeri @ 8:46 AM
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