Beyond the Palin

Alaska will sue over polar-bear listing

Posted at 12:07 PM on 22 May 2008

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will sue the Interior Department over its decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species. "We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it's unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models," says Alaska Assistant Attorney General Steven Daugherty. To green groups, that argument is, shall we say, unimpressive. "Even the Bush administration can't deny the reality of global warming," says Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. "The governor is aligning herself and the state of Alaska with the most discredited, fringe, extreme viewpoints by denying this." Palin's litigation comes mainly out of fear for Alaska's fossil-fuel-reliant economy, even though the wording of the Interior Department decision went to great lengths to ward off any new restrictions on oil and gas drilling.

sources: Reuters, Associated Press
see also, in Grist: Green groups sue over polar bear listing

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Comments: (7 comments)

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Great News

The decision to list relied heavily on computer model predictions of what MIGHT happen to sea ice. Contrary to what one side likes to claim, the debate isn't over, it hasn't even started yet.

This is going to be fun!

by DarthPetrol at 7:44 PM on 22 May 2008

Not What "Might" Happen

What is most likely to happen. Sheesh, ya think you anti-environmentalists could stop lying for a second?

by Wolverine at 11:55 PM on 22 May 2008

I grow Pal' in fear

Sarah Palin may very well be John McCain's running mate -- and if he wins in November; and if, as we are warned, a McCain administration would be just a third Bush administration; well, Palin certainly seems quite ready to play the part of Dick Cheney.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 1:04 AM on 23 May 2008

Worrisome

I find this worrisome, but not for the same reasons Wolverine and canis do. It worries me that Alaskans, those folks in the U.S. witnessing the effects of a warming world first hand, can so blithely ignore what's going on in favor of continuing business as usual.

I thought Alaskans were more pragmatic than this.

If the Alaskan state govt. can so easily completely ignore the scientists running all over their state, then what chance have any of us (living in the lower 48) of convincing our neighborhoods that action is needed?

by BlackBear at 3:33 AM on 23 May 2008

Good Point, BlackBear

People, especially Americans, prioritize money and business over the environment. Alaskans are an egregious example of this, as Alaska is a state mainly comprised of people who want to live there to get rich off oil.

No one can predict what the chances are of having a substantial and significant positive effect on the natural environment by our efforts. But look at it this way: at least when you die, you'll know you did what you could.

by Wolverine at 12:08 PM on 23 May 2008

It's all about the benjamins!

The oil companies use their huge reserves of money to buy politicians and make people see that we don't have to conserve,that we can have any and all THINGS that we want.Buffalo shit!The government gives oil companies obscene tax breaks and they(oil companies) use this money to buy and brainwash the general public into seeing this situation as necessary and normal.They use elected officials to scoff at scientific research or to ignore it and go on as if nothing will come of it.Balderdash!Tax the hell out of Big Oil and use the taxes for research and developement of renewable energy.Yes,I know that renewable energy is not the total answer,but it is a part of the answer.Conservation of energy is the other part.We have to get over our childish behavior that we can have what we want NOW and not worry about the future.We,as a people,have to take control and grow up and become adults.We can not let corrupt officials and greedy Big Business take from us our future of a clean,peaceful world and give us their future of war,famine,lack of clean water and clean air.We have to stand up and work for what we want and not at the expense of our environment or our peace of mind.

Why not ask why!?

by usandthem at 8:03 AM on 24 May 2008

Oil Rifle - Sarah's Weapon of Mass Destruction

Sarah Palin's quotable quote, "Alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop." So??? So how long do we got on planet earth? How long does it take to get the oil out to consuming masses? How long does the CO2 from its burning last? 100 years! Oil is the curse that keeps on damaging year after year even when it does nothing further to meet manufactured demand.

Some alternative energies are, in comparison, gifts of free energy. Oil, more precisely, fossil fuel is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction and effect. Bush, McCain, Palin know it was actualy found in Iraq. Palin knows she has got a dribble on the North Slopes she can tout more drilling there to the distanced masses trained to see a) gasoline as essential to civilization & b) wisdom as "always the low cost" ... as a means to get votes for her political party.

Isaac Yoder

by izzknewt0n at 8:08 PM on 29 Aug 2008

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