Bush nominates anti-science scientist/Bolton-ite for Fish&Wildlife Service

[iconoclastic cat]

Okay, THIS needs to be stopped:

New FWS Head is Anti-Science Scientist

by Naturegal
Fri Sep 16th, 2005 at 09:39:47 EDT

Amazingly enough, George Bush has actually found an anti-science scientist to be his nominee for next director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility posted a press release yesterday stating that several conservation groups are raising flags about the choice of Dale Hall as the nominee to take over at the FWS. As PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch said, "We are not questioning his education or training, we are questioning his integrity."

Dale Hall is the USFWS southwest regional director and has established a stellar record of being an anti-science bully despite his scientific background. Hall is, in fact, the John Bolton of the fish and game crowd.

Dr. Nicole Rosmarino of Forest Guardians stated, "Dale Hall's actions while regional director pushed southwestern wildlife and plants closer to extinction. He disregards science, bullies scientists, and is at the command of those industries imperiling the nation's wildlife. For that shameful legacy, Bush is seeking to promote him. Hall's confirmation as national FWS director would be a dangerous mistake that wildlife on the brink simply cannot afford."

According to the conservation groups challenging Hall's nomination, they state:

Hall instructed subordinates that the agency would not issue findings of "jeopardy" for any species currently protected by the Endangered Species Act, meaning that the agency would object to no development project on the grounds that the project would harm threatened or endangered species;

He ordered biologists in the Southwest to ignore genetics when making decisions about endangered or threatened species' recovery; and

Hall has yet, during his tenure, to take a single action that protects wildlife that was not the product of a court order.

In fact four out of five biologists working under Hall did not "trust USFWS decision makers to make decisions that will protect species and habitats."

I volunteer for a FWS refuge and I can testify that most of the field people in the Service are hard working, underappreciated scientists who want to do right by the environment. Unfortunately, Dale Hall is a man looking to advance himself politically, and he has compromised his scientific integrity to do so.

At the very least, the Democrats should grill this man to find out what he's really about before the Repubs gleefully hand over the job. But regardless of the outcome, it's clear that this is yet again an example of Bush's utter disdain for anything environmentally responsible.

So, imagine Bolton and Brown in one human, set loose on the environment. Again, fan-fucking-tastic.

Will there be an effort on this one? Or will we roll over and take it?

[montanacowboy]

1. We are just waiting to pick our moment...

right.....just keeping our powder dry....

the dems will roll over for anything chimpy puts before them

[pushycat]

2. It must stop - all these appointments to replace

whomever they cannot control.

In the name of fairness there should be a limit to # of appointment replacements an admin can make. After that, a bipartisan committee to handle those beyond the limit.

This guy is replacing entire gov with a red tide of creepy people.

[sepia_steel]

3. Woo hoo!

Another FITTING appointment that makes sense! :sarcasm:

[tom_paine]

4. News Flash: Fox to guard henshouse

Simply put, this is the agenda of EVERY SINGLE BUSHEVIK APPOINTEE.

Every single one HATES and DESPISES the organization they have been placed at the head of.

America is dead. We have no vote to overturn these monsters.

And Imperial Amerika has just begun. Things will get MUCH worse.

[bluedawg12]

5. Know thy enemy:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20050725b
New USFWS Leader Worked on Texas Issues

"former regional director who has a long history of working on Texas conservation issues has been tapped to become the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington DC.

He is absolutely sincere about the need to work cooperatively with private landowners and state conservation agencies and organizations. He respects private property rights and recognizes the ability and willingness of private landowners to conserve fish and wildlife species and habitat"

Shades of Brownie

Holy Molly Ivens- Texas was an ecological cess pool.

http://genbiol.cbs.umn.edu/PIF_files/PIF_Docs/PIF_R_Files/library/biodiv/biodiv4a.html

Service Announces New and Expanded Hunting and Fishing Programs on National Wildlife Refuges --what the fuvk wildlife refuge for hunting?

The Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the addition of hunting and fishing programs on six national wildlife refuges across the nation, as well as the expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities at seven additional refuges.

A refuge with shot guns? Well, that makes sense.

[bluedawg12]

6. Hall on far right- looks like Andy Card

http://www.fguardians.org/library/paper.asp?nMode=2&nLibraryID=111

A new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy forbids biologists from using wildlife genetics to protect and recover endangered fish and wildlife


"The new policy, issued by the Southwest Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Dale Hall, prohibits agency biologists from considering unique genetic lineages in protecting and recovering wildlife in danger of extinction. By prohibiting consideration of individual or unique populations, Hall’s policy will allow FWS to declare wildlife populations secure based on the status of any single population and ignore the value of genetically distinct sub-populations to the existence of the species.

The policy has generated a firestorm of opposition from scientists, advocates, and other FWS representatives. The FWS Mountain-Prairie Regional Director, Ralph Morgenweck, said the policy “could run counter to the purpose of the Endangered Species Act… and contradict our direction to use the best available science.” Thus far, the policy has undermined conservation efforts for the Apache Trout and the Gila Trout, though other concerned biologists within the agency are concerned that it could affect their species conservation efforts as well."