Interior Nominee Intervened to Block Report on Endangered Species

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Tue Mar 26, 2019, 12:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: New York Times

Interior Nominee Intervened to Block Report on Endangered Species

By Eric Lipton
March 26, 2019

WASHINGTON -- After years of effort, scientists at the Fish and Wildlife Service had a moment of celebration as they wrapped up a comprehensive analysis of the threat that three widely used pesticides present to hundreds of endangered species, like the kit fox and the seaside sparrow. ... "Woohoo!" Patrice Ashfield, then a branch chief at Fish and Wildlife Service headquarters, wrote to her colleagues in August 2017.

Their analysis found that two of the pesticides, malathion and chlorpyrifos, were so toxic that they "jeopardize the continued existence" of more than 1,200 endangered birds, fish and other animals and plants, a conclusion that could lead to tighter restrictions on use of the chemicals.

But just before the team planned to make its findings public in November 2017, something unexpected happened: Top political appointees of the Interior Department, which oversees the Fish and Wildlife Service, blocked the release and set in motion a new process intended to apply a much narrower standard to determine the risks from the pesticides.

Leading that intervention was David Bernhardt, then the deputy secretary of the interior and a former lobbyist and oil-industry lawyer. In October 2017, he abruptly summoned staff members to the first of a rapid series of meetings in which the Fish and Wildlife Service was directed to take the new approach, one that pesticide makers and users had lobbied intensively to promote.

Mr. Bernhardt is now President Trump's nominee to become interior secretary. The Senate is scheduled to hold a hearing on his confirmation Thursday.
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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/us/politics/endangered-species-david-bernhardt.html

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David Fahrenthold Retweeted

https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold

EXCLUSIVE: Scientists at Interior Depart spent several years-& thousands of hours-studying impact 3 pesticides have on endangered species. Their conclusion: more than 1,200 at jeopardy. Then release of their report was blocked, in part by David Bernhardt.

Link to tweet

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Here is the key slide--which Interior's Fish & Wildlife accidentally released via a FOIA request--that summarizes the findings that Interior has now deep sixed. There are a total of 1,663 endangered species in the United States. This from briefing to Interior political appointees

Link to tweet

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The staff from Interior who had worked on this report--they knew they were going to run into opposition from the pesticide industry. But they plowed ahead. Here is an ONCE-SECRET INTERIOR DOCUMENT, predicting push back.

Link to tweet

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There was at least one MAJOR problem with all this work. The pesticide industry wanted it KILLED. They turned to Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke and others at Interior, the records show

Link to tweet

[turbinetree]

1. He is a ASSHOLE.................and so is Moscow Mitch and anyone lese that votes this asshole

into that position.......................the taxpayers paid for the study and it already says that it kills off species with these pesticides...........................we are going to witness unfettered unilateralism take place, once he gets in............... .

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Here is a collection of all the documents in one place.

Here is a collection of all the documents in one place. A lot of effort pulling these together. And realize more than you probably want to read. But this is an important public record. Wanted it all out there.

Link to tweet

THE ANATOMY OF A KILL: How the Pesticide Industry Sidetracked a Federal Threat to Its Sales

[Karadeniz]

3. They must be so frustrated. There are so many positions that shouldn't be political appointments.

[JudyM]

4. Billionaires that want to help should buy massive amounts of stock in these companies and become

shareholder activists. Make a stink about the companies’ policies and lobbying.

Ya know... if only...

[DeminPennswoods]

6. Invest in Domini, activism for good is what they do

nt

[JudyM]

8. Wow, thanks for this. I was only aware of their funds, didn't know they did advocacy, etc.

Started reading their report, your suggestion actually comes at a good time for me to assist one of my senior family members in reallocating/balancing out her investments. https://www.domini.com/uploads/files/reports/Domini_Funds_2017_Impact_Report.pdf

[DeminPennswoods]

9. Don't expect big returns, though.

I invested to support their mission.

[JudyM]

10. Kudos for helping with a great mission!

And thanks for the expectations management

[DeminPennswoods]

11. Just wanted to alert you to that in case

your senior family member is interested in investing for income. If so, it's probably not the right investment vehicle for them.

[JudyM]

12. Right.

It appears from a quick look that they also screen good-citizen companies, so that can be useful on its own, though fidelity has its own screening for that, I don’t necessarily trust its parameters so combining the research screens could be useful. I’ll do the due diligence before I recommend anything, fear not

[riversedge]

5. And now he is trumps nominee. damn

[Maxheader]

7. Its their stupidity that threatens the world...

Their ignorance, fueled by an attitude that only they know science, only they know how much poisoned air we can breath, tainted water we can drink...