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<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Endangered Species Act change under
review<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Obama may reverse a Bush-era revision
that loosened environmental rules for federal projects.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Los Angeles Times – 3/3/09<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>By Jim Tankersley<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'>Reporting from
Washington -- The White House will announce today that it is reconsidering
another controversial last-minute environmental rule by President George W.
Bush, an Obama administration official said Monday night.<br>
<br>
The Bush-era rule loosened the way the Endangered Species Act guides federal
projects, such as roads and dams. The <a
href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/12/nation/na-endangered-species12"><span
style='color:#007AAA;text-decoration:none'>change, finalized in December,</span></a>
eliminated a requirement that federal agencies consult with experts about
potential effects on endangered plants and wildlife before allowing projects to
go ahead. Instead, federal agencies can determine on their own whether their
projects would harm protected species.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'>A major spending
bill speeding through Congress includes language that would empower President
Obama to reverse the rule. Without congressional action, the administration
would need to undertake a lengthy process to roll back the rule. <br>
<br>
The move is Obama's latest step toward reversing Bush's environmental policies.
Shortly after his inauguration, Obama ordered all pending Bush regulations to
be frozen, including the loosening of some air quality standards and the
removal of the gray wolf from the endangered species list. Obama's Interior Department
has canceled oil and gas drilling leases near national parks and paused efforts
to open coastal areas for drilling and Mountain West oil shale for development.<br>
<br>
Obama also directed the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its
denial of California's request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from
automobiles. The EPA will hold a public hearing this week, which could result
in the state imposing stricter regulations on automakers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'>The chairman of the
House Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D-W. Va.), lauded
Obama on Monday night for moving "to restore the protections for
endangered species that the Bush administration spent so many years trying to
undermine." <br>
<br>
Environmentalists said Bush's decision removed a crucial layer of protection
for endangered species. Business and industry lobbyists countered that it
eliminated unnecessary delays in projects without harming species. <br>
<br>
Then-Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne admitted that the move divided Interior
officials. The new Interior secretary, <a
href="http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-salazar28-2009jan28%2C0%2C2173204.story"><span
style='color:#007AAA;text-decoration:none'>Ken Salazar, said in a January
interview</span></a> that he wanted to reconsider the rule.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'><a
href="http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-epa-species3-2009mar03,0,5920274.story?track=rss">http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-epa-species3-2009mar03,0,5920274.story?track=rss</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Byron
Leydecker, JcT</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Chair, Friends
of Trinity River</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>PO Box 2327</span></i><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Mill Valley, CA
94942-2327</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810
land</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810
cell</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net"><span style='color:blue'>bwl3@comcast.net</span></a></span></i></b><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org"><span style='color:blue'>bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>(secondary)</span></i><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="http://fotr.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.fotr.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

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