October 10, 2008

ACTION ALERT!

You Did It!

Thanks to All that Helped Convince
Department of Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne to
Extend the Comment Period on Changes to the Endangered Species Act!

But… More Help is Needed!

The Bush Administration is Still Seeking to Gut Protections for Threatened and Endangered Wildlife

Background

The Bush Administration continues to pressure Federal agencies and to rewrite the Endangered Species Act to "consult with themselves" instead of consulting independent experts about effects that their proposed projects will have on imperiled wildlife. A proposed “consult with self” change to the Endangered Species Act is another example of Bush asking the “fox to guard the henhouse.” This proposal would allow and even encourages federal agencies to ignore public input and independent scientific review concerning imperiled species.

Please call your representatives and tell them to stop the Bush administration from gutting the Endangered Species Act. Congress needs to hear NOW from thousands of Americans who passionately support the Endangered Species Act.

Dial the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the offices of your members of Congress or to find your representatives click here:  Find Your Representatives.

Tips for your phone calls  

1. Be confident, brief and to the point!
2. Let your representatives know who you are, which city you live in, and that you are calling to let them know you oppose the gutting of the Endangered Species Act.
3. Explain that the Endangered Species Act regulation changes would:          
   • exempt thousands of potentially dangerous federal activities from review
   • eliminate the checks and balances provided by independent oversight
   • diminish opportunities for individuals, like you, to offer input about endangered species
4. Remind your representatives that wild places like (Name your state and/or special place) are being ravaged by oil and gas and other forms of development and that cause pollution, excessive disturbances, and habitat losses that are serious threats to wildlife. Stronger, not weaker protections are needed for our ‘at risk’ wildlife.
5. Thank your representatives for their time.
   
   

We Encourage You to Send Written Comments, Postmarked by

October 14, 2008

to:

Public Comment Processing, Attention:
1018–AT50, Division of Policy and
Directives Management, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax
Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203

or Email comments to:

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064806ddfd1

See Sample Letter at http://voiceforthewild.org/general/alerts/a10October08_letter.html