Dick, Get Yer Gun!

Bald eagle may soon leave the Endangered Species List

Remember when John Ashcroft sang that hymn he wrote, "Let the Eagle Soar"? That was something, wasn't it? Anyhoo! Speaking of the bald eagle, it may soon leave the Endangered Species List, thanks to its strong recovery in parts of the U.S. In an unusual joint news conference on Monday, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service chief H. Dale Hall and representatives of several prominent green groups united to hail the eagle's progress -- from 413 breeding pairs in the continental U.S. in 1963 to an estimated 7,000 to 9,100 today. FWS is effectively restarting a process begun in 1999 to delist the eagle, which some see as vindication of the Endangered Species Act. The enviros at the press conference didn't miss the chance to note that some act protections that proved vital to restoring the bald-eagle population would be weakened or lost under legislation passed last year by the House of Representatives. Let the eeeeeagle sooooooar ... now it's gonna be in your head all day!