WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is letting stand a Bush-era regulation that limits protection of polar bears from global warming.
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is letting stand a Bush-era regulation that limits protection of polar bears from global warming. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Friday that he will not rescind the Bush rule, although Congress gave him authority to do so. Salazar said rescinding the rule would cause "uncertainty and confusion" about protection of the iconic bear. A year ago, the polar bear was declared a threatened species because global warming is causing a severe decline in Arctic sea ice, the bear’s habitat. But the Bush administration rules limit protection, saying no action outside the Arctic region could be considered a threat to the bear under the law. Environmentalists strongly oppose the rule. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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