Alaska sues federal government over polar bears’ “threatened species” distinction
Gov. Palin and Co. at work:
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on May 14 announced the [threatened species] listing. He said sea ice habitat has dramatically melted and computer models suggest the trend will continue.
Gov. Sarah Palin contends the decision is not based on the best scientific and commercial data. Palin claims the federal analysis did not adequately consider polar bear survival through earlier warming periods.
She also says Kempthorne did not adequately consider existing regulatory mechanisms that have resulted in a sustainable worldwide polar bear population.
Palin may very well be right.
It’s doubtful the lawsuit work, as the polar bear is one of the most politicized animals in history, right next to another Alaskan animal – the caribou. Nevertheless, congrats to the Palin administration for being – uh – ballsy enough to pursue this at a time when global warming skeptics are being demagogued as heartless beasts for supposedly not wanting to do more to help save the polar bear population, even though it would appear that they are doing just fine for themselves.
Related: Has global warming skipped over Alaska?
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