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May 22, 2008
The fortunes of the polar bear could well become the ultimate symbol of our thirst for oil.
With the Bush administration, which is not known to be pro-environment when oil industry interests are at stake, declaring the polar bear a threatened species, you got to figure it really is threatened.
But Alaska is now suing to challenge the ruling, according to the Associated Press.
Republican Governor Sarah Palin said the studies that predict the loss of sea ice which the bears need to hunt for seals are unreliable.
At issue is the possible loss of “oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state’s northern and northwestern coasts.”
The Department of the Interior last week declared the polar bear threatened based on three findings, according to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne:
"First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear’s sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future."
So, will sentiment for one of the most significant animals in the world triumph over oil and gas interests in Alaska?
Frankly, it is hard to see how Alaska can overturn the Bush administration in one of its few nods to the problem of global warming.
- Peter C.T. Elsworth
Posted by Peter C. T. Elsworth 
at 4:13 PM to commentary
| Permalink
So, Elsworth blames GW for the polar bears running out of ice, forgetting that parts of Greenland now under ice were farmed during the last "Climate Change" while the front page of the auto section showcases a 360 HP Pontiac which is "better than" a Camry. Elsworth, you hypocrite.
I drove an Avalon, the Camry's big brother, across South Florida recently with three people and luggage on board at 80 MPH and 95 degree temps and got over 30 MPG. I also had the assurance that the door handles weren't going to fall off at 20,000 miles as is typical of the usual GM POS. Where do "we stand at the Belo, Elsworth, "powerful fun" or George made the polar bears swim for it?
Posted by: Dick Tuck on May 25, 2008 11:28 AM
Polar bears don't put food on my table. Let's start drilling, but let's not forget to take a few snapshots of the last few cute cubs.
Posted by: David on May 26, 2008 9:33 AM
Everyone has been bought and paid for with the latest scam, global warming. Remember acid rain 20 years ago that was supposed to kill us all by now? I guess acid rain is no longer the chic environmental threat, now a new nonsense has surfaced.
Lets please drill for our own oil, so we knock a few trees down and scare some animals, the trees will grow back and the animals will be just fine. With all the favorable press the ecoweenies get, soon we will be living in caves but we will have plenty of polar bears.
The ones who say we import too much oil are the same ones that will not let us drill. It's time to turn back the environmentalist by any means possible or this country will be a shell of it's former self if it survives.
Posted by: Carmine on June 1, 2008 10:21 AM
Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published.
