Alaska Will Sue Over Polar Bears

Gov. Sarah Palin Says There Is Not Enough Evidence To Support Threatened Species Distinction

(AP)  The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of polar bears as a threatened species, the governor announced.

Gov. Sarah Palin and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts.

Palin argued Wednesday that there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.

Climate models that predict continued loss of sea ice, the main habitat of polar bears, during summers are unreliable, said Palin, a Republican.

The announcement drew a strong response from the primary author of the listing petition.

"She's either grossly misinformed or intentionally misleading, and both are unbecoming," said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. "Alaska deserves better."

Siegel said it was unconscionable for Palin to ignore overwhelming evidence of global warming's threat to sea ice, the polar bear's habitat.

"Even the Bush administration can't deny the reality of global warming," she said. "The governor is aligning herself and the state of Alaska with the most discredited, fringe, extreme viewpoints by denying this."

As marine mammals, polar bears are regulated by the federal government, not the state. U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne last week made the listing decision and said it was based on three findings.

"First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear's sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future," he said.

Summer sea ice last year shrank to a record low, about 1.65 million square miles, nearly 40 percent less than the long-term average between 1979 and 2000.

Polar bears rely on sea ice for hunting ringed seals. In recent years, summer sea ice has receded far beyond the relatively shallow, biologically rich waters of the outer continental shelf, giving polar bears less time in prime feeding areas.

The bear's numbers rebounded after the 1970s, but conservation groups contend that was in response to measures taken to stop over-hunting.

Polar bear researchers fear recent effects of the loss of sea ice on Alaska polar bear populations. A 2006 study by the U.S. Geological Survey concluded that far fewer polar bear cubs in the Beaufort Sea were surviving and that adult males weighed less and had smaller skulls than those captured and measured two decades previously - trends similar to observations in Canada's western Hudson Bay before a population drop.

A U.S. Geological Survey study completed last year as part of the petition process predicted polar bears in Alaska could be wiped out by 2050.

Kempthorne said last week he considered every point Palin made, and rejected them.

[grammawhamma]

Isn''t anyone worried what will become of those cute seals? I think I should start a Polar bear farm, since I live in a town called Polar. In all seriousness I think the Polar bears will survive if left alone. But man should not intrude on their space.

[awt62]

I cant believe people are so blind to believe polar bears are endangered. All these people that don''t want to drill seem to care more about the polar bears then then are own future. I think we should drill for oil...the polar bears are not endangered as far as I''m concerned. If it came down to the bear and me , it would be me.

[awt62]

I cant believe people are so blind to believe polar bears are endangered. All these people that don''t want to drill seem to care more about the polar bears then then are own future. I think we should drill for oil...the polar bears are not endangered as far as I''m concerned. If it came down to the bear and me , it would be me.

[antifear]

I guess I will now have to go to Canada to get my Polar Bear skin rug. Always wanted one of those for my hunting room.

[antifear]

Where did the Polar bears go when the Vikings were farming on Greenland during the last real warm spell?

[antifear]

Hey Corey2444
Did the fact that Ethanol is a hydrocarbon also escape you and that the burning and production of it actually puts more CO2 into the atmosphere than gasoline? How does that alleviate global warming?

[tksk53]

I was going to post my comment for the day - but after reading all the others - I rest my case
TKTK53

[minnick8-2009]

Do as I say, not as I do".
Posted by hunterdon6

From what I can tell, most environmentalists are elitists, and yes, their motto is, "Do as I say, not as I do." As long as they have theirs, to H E L L with the rest of us.

[libh8er]

Silly want to be Vet..
Posted by cornbiker at 10:03 AM : May 22, 2008

2/3 of his brain remained in the corps. And he only went in with half a brain to start off....so he''s really working from an 82 IQ. LOL

[libh8er]

Posted by corey2444 at 10:08 AM : May 22, 2008

Oh, it''s not that enviro-wack jobs don''t want drilling. They just don''t want the US to drill.

[libh8er]

The USA can drill for oil more cleanly than anyone else in the world save for the North Sea. Lib democrats just don''t want to because, if we started drilling and using our own oil, America would become more prosperous.

[hungry1968]

Drill for oil. Harvest all forms of energy and work towards new cleaner energy before we sink into times worse than the GREAT DEPRESSION.

Posted by corey2444 at 10:08 AM : May 22, 2008





So what are your solutions? It''s easy to say drill for more oil and harvest all forms of energy, but HOW do you propose it gets done?

Do you really think that there AREN''T people that are working on the problem?


Your solution is like someone that is broke saying, "I need more money!!!" to solve their problems. Yes more money would solve their problems, but HOW they get it is the issue - just like our energy crisis.

[talkingham]

''bout time for another big earthquake in Alaska, maybe that will keep those greedy conservatives mouths shut for a while or have them whining about something else. Buncha greedy crybabies. I hope it warms up enough that they have to install air conditioning in Juno and pine beetles eat their forests (that''s already happening- cheers!).

these neocons have way too much time on their hands listening to the Viagra King of the Dominican Republic Limbaugh.

normally I put people above animals but not when it comes to Alaska''s neocronies who wet their pants everytime they hear the phrase global warming.

[msay3]

When will people begin to understand that it doesn''''t matter where you drill, or who gets the blame, but the fact of the matter is that oil is actually a finite resource? I know people fear change, but it would be better for future generations if we came up with alternatives to the combustion engine now, as well as finding other sources of energy. It''''s like medicine, some will work and some will not, but you have to keep looking and experimenting instead of blaming liberals for everything. Geez....

Posted by terikrause at 09:14 AM : May 22, 2008
----------------------------

I agree with your post....

[hungry1968]

Do your research before opening your mouth. The estimates on the oil sands of Canada is that there''''s enough oil there to fuel this planet for another 2000 years. Got that? That''''s a 2 with three, count them..1-2-3, zeros behind it. Get in line with the rest of the fools shouting global warming and shell out you money to the geniuses selling you green cars. I''''ll be over here on this horse farm with my 4 - K2500 Suburbans working. You''''re so easy.

Posted by maxify55 at 08:56 AM : May 22, 2008





You say "do your research before opening your mouth", and THEN you say that there are 2000 years worth of oil in Canada.


At current production rates, they have an estimated 182 years of reserve life - Mexico has 10. Saudi Arabia has 81. And those are at CURRENT production levels - of course they are going to increase over time.

Follow your own advice, and do some legitimate research yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves#Estimated_reserves_in_order

[hungry1968]

"Palin argued Wednesday that there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said."





This is what happens when lobbyists and big business have more influence over our elected politicians than common sense, scientific facts, or even population counts of the bears.

She will listen to the "findings" of big business, in spite of the fact that there are THOUSANDS of less polar bears than just a few years ago, their habit is disappearing rapidly, and even the seals they eat are having to move to dry land habitats because of shrinking sea ice.

She''ll eventually lose an election because of it, but by then the damage will be done.

[al2008-2009]

I%u2019m appalled at the governor%u2019s lack of response to the global warming ice melts. We have no comprehensive strategy in place whatsoever, let alone a detailed plan of action to mitigate the effects of these melts, and mother earth continues to suffer while the governor%u2019s office refuses to go forward and do what%u2019s right for mother earth.
.
The ice has melted and now polar bears will be extinct in just a couple of decades.
.
How long must we sit idly by while our mother continues to suffer from the warming taking place at a feverish pace? How long must our mother suffer before we have proper c02 taxes put into place? How long must the destruction of mother earth take place before we finally put responsible plans into action? How long must we wait until we beef up our corn ethanol production? At least Obama wants to cut c02 pollution by 80%; he is definitely our best hope.
.
We the people call upon the governor to implement a comprehensive antiglobal warming strategy at once and work in coordination with state and federal officials; our ice sheets have melted, bears will soon be extinct, and the quicker we stop the warming the sooner we will allow the bears to survive. We need action now.

[tapsettle]

Sorry, I thought this debate was about Alaskan/Arctic polar bears and their imminent endangered status. I see now it is about greed, and how much one half of america hates the other. My mistake.

[hunterdon6]

What caused global warming thousands of years ago when the last ice caps melted? The weather goes through cycles like this. The guy who brought us global warming "Al Gore" does his part in Tennessee. His mansion uses more energy in a month than what most home owners use in a year. Every time he flies from one city to another to talk about global warming, he is wasting energy and in his words creating global warming. His motto must be " Do as I say, not as I do". The polar bears will survive. If you want to save the bears, send them liberals to eat.

[briannorwood]

All those billions of dollars in excess profits, you''d think the oil companies and their paid-in-full political cronies could spend just a little to help the environment.