Deadlines set for designating polar bear habitat

[JonLP24]

Source: Casper Star-Tribune

By DAN JOLING

Monday, October 6, 2008 3:45 PM MDT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Three conservation groups have reached a partial settlement with the federal government on polar bear habitat that could add restrictions to future petroleum exploration or drilling off Alaska's coast.

The agreement filed Monday sets deadlines for the Interior Department secretary to designate "critical habitat" for polar bears.

Such a designation prohibits federal agencies from taking actions that may "adversely modify" critical habitat that could interfere with polar bear recovery.

Those actions might include offshore petroleum exploration or drilling, said Kassie Siegel, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity.

"Other than global warming, the worst thing that's going on in polar bear habit right now is oil development and the potential for oil spills," Siegel said.

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Five separate lawsuits have been filed in Washington, D.C., to overturn the listing of polar bears as threatened.

One was filed by the state of Alaska on orders of Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate.

Read more: http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2008/10/06/ap/science/d93l89u81.txt

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Screw that lib-rul crap. Smirk." - Sarah Pale Horse & republicon oil profiteers

"You can depend on me and Commander McSame to make sure the Apocalypse is coming, smirk, and that me and my republicon oil cronies will make DAMN sure it is a profitable, smirk, Biblical fulfillment. Smirk."

- Sarah Pale Horse