September 10, 2008

ACTION ALERT!

Join Senators, Scientists, and Groups like Biodiversity Conservation Alliance!

Please Tell Department of the Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne

Give Threatened and Endangered Wildlife
a Fighting Chance and Give the Public a Fair Opportunity to Comment!

• Extend the comment period to allow reasonable time, at least 120 days, for interested individuals to comment on proposed changes that would cripple the Endangered Species Act and put Threatened and Endangered wildlife at even Greater Risk of Extinction.

• Instead of discouraging comments, WELCOME COMMENTS by allowing Email and Fax submissions!

• Withdraw changes to the Endangered Species Act that would allow agencies to consult with themselves and essentially eliminate protections for Threatened and Endangered Wildlife.

Comments are Due

September 15, 2008

Background

The Bush Administration aims to gut protections for Threatened and Endangered Wildlife

The Bush Administration is pressuring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ignore Threatened and Endangered wildlife. Federal agencies are being told to "consult with themselves" about effects their proposed projects will have on imperiled wildlife. This 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 federal agencies to ignore public (your) input and independent scientific review.

Seven U.S. senators, thousands of ecologists, and conservations groups, including Biodiversity Conservation Alliance came to the defense of our nation's most important species conservation law.

Just one day after Congress acted, the Ecological Society of America and its 10,000+ ecologists publicly criticized the Bush administration for stripping protections for thousands of imperiled plants and animals.

Over 105 citizens’ organizations including Biodiversity Conservation Alliance are battling the Bush administration’s 11th hour attacks on wildlife.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an unusually short comment period, for this major federal action.

Your help is needed to Extend the Comment Period so you can help protect Threatened and Endangered wildlife!

COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY

September 15, 2008

For more information contact duane@voiceforthewild.org or call 307-742-7978
THANK YOU FOR USING YOUR VOICE FOR THE WILD!
BCA
Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
PO Box 1512, Laramie, WY 82073-1512
307-742-7978, Fax 307-742-7989
http://www.voiceforthewild.org

NOTE: The only way to submit your comments electronically is to:

►  Go To:  www.regulations.gov

►  Enter search terms: "50 CFR Part 402 proposed rule".

►  Click on "Send a comment or submission" to write or copy-n-paste your comments.

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Sample Letter Below
(Personalizing your letter is always recommended)
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Mail Your Letter to:

Honorable Dirk Kempthorne
Secretary, Department of the Interior
1849 C St., NW
Washington, DC 20240

and

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

RE: Proposed Changes to Endangered Species Act and Extension Requested for Public Comment Period.

Dear Secretary Kempthorne,

I am deeply concerned by the process being used to collect public comments on the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act regulations. I plan to submit comments on the more substantive issues in the proposed regulations at a later date, but I am writing today, primarily,  to address concerns with the timing and process for submitting public comments. The abbreviated timeline and restrictive commenting options raise serious concerns that the Department of the Interior is attempting to rewrite a bedrock environmental statute without allowing for adequate public involvement.

Comments on such major Federal proposals should be accepted through as many communications options as possible, not just by way of an obscure online URL  (web address).

For one of our nation’s most important and successful environmental laws, the thirty-day comment period does not provide enough time for the public to review and comment on this critical proposal.

I urge you to extend the comment period to at least 120 days.

In addition, the Department should increase public opportunities to comment by holding field hearings around the country, thus giving citizens the opportunity to discuss, understand, and comment on the proposed changes.

The American people should be offered multiple and convenient options for commenting on the proposed changes.
We will not accept e-mail or faxes.

Withdraw changes to the Endangered Species Act that would allow agencies to consult with themselves and essentially eliminate public input.

Sincerely,

Your Signature, Printed Name and Address (required)