In its final days, the Bush administration changed the Endangered Species Act to allow federal agencies to decide for themselves how much their own projects (such as roads, dams, and mines) would impact imperiled species. This allowed agencies, often lacking their own adequate scientific expertise, to no longer consult expert biologists in making key decisions.

The Interior and Commerce Departments have the opportunity to roll back these flawed changes, but they must do it by May 9. Please urge both department secretaries to restore the scientific foundation of the Endangered Species Act.
 

Sincerely,   Michael Halpern National Field Organizer Scientific Integrity Program P.S. If you are a scientist with biological expertise, please sign the biologists’ letter on the Endangered Species Act. Contact Secretary Ken Salazar and Secretary Gary Locke today

The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. To subscribe or visit go to:  http://www.ucsusa.org