Markey: Under Obama Admin., ESA Scientists No Longer Wandering in Regulatory Wilderness

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who was first to call for Congressional review of Bush administration Endangered Species Act rule changes and held a hearing on the midnight rule changes, praised President Obama and his administration today for reversing one of the last industry giveaways of the Bush administration. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today that they will restore scientific review as the driver in determining the threat to species from government or private actions.

“After the previous administration relegated our scientists to the proverbial regulatory wilderness, the Obama administration is today ensuring that scientists are no longer an endangered species in our government,” said Rep. Markey, whose Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing on this and other Bush midnight rules the same day the now-cancelled rule was issued. “These scientists objectively assess the threat to animals in danger, and it is critical that the Obama administration has brought them back into the discussion.”

More information from the Bush rules hearing can be found on the Select Committee website:.

The House included language passed in February in the omnibus spending bill that gave 60 days for the Obama administration to withdraw or reissue the ESA rule.

Rep. Markey was first to propose using Congressional Review Act authority to overturn this and other harmful executive rules in November of last year. Rep. Markey highlighted this ESA rule as one of the more egregious examples of poor rulemaking.

Rep. Markey also challenged the previous Interior Department Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne on the Bush administration’s budget cuts to the endangered species program. For a video of the exchange, CLICK HERE.

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