Quick on the heels of an upbeat Department of the Interior Press Release came an equal-and-opposite reaction from the National Resources Defense Council. The commentary focused on a recently released Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement from DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that evaluates potential significant environmental effects of multiple geological and geophysical “G&G” activities in [...]
Archive for the ‘Endangered Species Act’ Category
15 Dec
What Does “significant portion of its range” REALLY Mean?
Well, evidently it’s not very straightforward. Which is why the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), along with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), published draft guidance in the Federal Register last Friday, providing interpretation of the phrase “significant portion of its range” in the Endangered Species Act’s definitions of “endangered species” and “threatened species.” [...]
11 Oct
Endangered Species Act “Mega-Lawsuit” Seeks EPA Review of 300+ Pesticides
Southwest Farm Press reports that the Plaintiffs and Defendants in Center for Biological Diversity et al v. Environmental Protection Agency et al have filed a joint status report requesting a 30-day continuation of the stay of the litigation and the postponement of the October 14 status conference until November 18. The lawsuit kicked off in [...]
19 Aug
The Alligator’s Role in ‘Winning the Future’
Did you know: - The average lifespan of the American alligator is approximately 50 years long - Alligators have five toes on their front legs but only four on their hind legs - The average weight of an alligator is between 400 and 500 pounds! Fans of alligator facts are advised to read on, as [...]
3 Aug
Judge Dismisses Obama Hydroelectric Plan as Too Vague
Judge James Redden of the Federal District Court in Portland issued a final ruling on an Obama Administration plan to make hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest safer for spawning salmon. Redden’s decision came on the basis that the plan, known as the biological option, was too vague in [...]
10 Feb
Adorable Pacific Walrus Caught in Melting Ice; Bureaucratic Limbo
In another middle-of-the-road decision that leaves both environmentalists and the oil industry fuming, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has decided to maybe think about (in a little bit) listing the Pacific walrus under the Endangered Species Act. According to the FWS press release, while the threats to the Pacific walrus are “very real,” [...]
