Farm Bureau Federation, Oil Companies Argue Against Polar Bear Protection - Forbes

[hatrack]

EDIT

But others said listing the polar bear as threatened could hurt the hunting industry, whose revenue helps local economies. "They are not endangered," said Patterk Netser, an environmental minister for the Nunavut Territory of Canada. "They are not threatened at the moment. We have an abundance of them in our area."

"The scientific underpinnings of the proposal are woefully inadequate," said Richard Krause, senior director of regulatory relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation. "Rather than basing the proposal on direct scientific observations, the Service bases its proposal on speculative predictions and assumptions that may or may not be valid."

The Fish and Wildlife Service's review comes amid concerns that global warming is melting away the icy habitats where the animals live. In December, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne proposed listing polar bears as a threatened species.

If the polar bear were listed as a threatened species, all federal agencies would have to ensure that anything they authorize that might affect polar bears will not jeopardize their survival or the sea ice where they live. That could include oil and gas exploration, commercial shipping or even releases of toxic contaminants or climate-affecting pollution.

EDIT

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/06/ap3488608.html

[phantom power]

1. Oh, wait. I see his point.

Until they're actually extinct, we are only speculating that they are going to be extinct.

:banghead:

[kitkatrose]

2. Sweet baby Jesus, how stupid can you be???

Polar bears going extinct would really hurt the hunting industry, you twit.

[Nihil]

3. How can this jerk have the title "environmental minister"?

> "They are not threatened at the moment."

Actually they *are* threatened at the moment - they are threatened
by virtue of the fact that morons like this are in positions of
responsibility.

:argh:

> If the polar bear were listed as a threatened species, all federal
> agencies would have to ensure that anything they authorize that might
> affect polar bears will not jeopardize their survival or the sea ice
> where they live. That could include oil and gas exploration, commercial
> shipping or even releases of toxic contaminants or climate-affecting
> pollution.

Why is this seen as a "bad thing" Mr.Krause? Mr/Ms Netser? Hmmm?
Is it simply the dent that it might put in your regular bribes?
That your greed and lust for money might suffer a minor setback?

The alternatives would appear to be limited to "desire for extinction"
and "alien lifeform in disguise" so I suspect that my first guess
is the accurate one.

Shame there isn't one of these :banghead: for banging someone else's head.

[struggle4progress]

4. And once again the curiously-misnamed "Farm Bureau" opposes environmental protection