A Letter from the National Resources Defense Council Regarding Polar Bears
Dear Mickie,
There was good news and bad news for the polar bear today.
First, the good: after a three-year legal battle waged by NRDC and the Center for Biological Diversity, the Bush Administration announced that it will protect polar bears as a "threatened species" under the Endangered Species Act.
This decision is a huge step forward in our long-term fight to save the bear from extinction -- and I want to thank you and every single supporter who has made it possible for us to wage and win this uphill legal battle.
This is the very first time our government has used the Endangered Species Act to protect a species mainly threatened by the ravages of global warming. That is a landmark accomplishment -- and you made it possible!
The bad news? The Bush Administration's plan for "protection" is so full of loopholes for oil companies and other polluters that it could be the equivalent of sending a leaky lifeboat to rescue drowning polar bears -- unless we move quickly to get it fixed.
Simply put, you and I have finally gotten the Bush Administration to acknowledge the gravity of the polar bear's plight -- and that's crucial -- but it's NOT enough to ensure the polar bear's survival.
So our fight must -- and will -- go on.
Make no mistake: the Administration's attempt to water down protection for the polar bear is illegal -- and it won’t hold up in court.
That's why NRDC is already preparing to fight the next round of this legal battle and secure the kind of full-fledged protection that polar bears so desperately need and deserve. I'll be in touch very soon with more details.
Time is short. The Arctic sea ice that polar bears depend on for survival is melting at a rate that has shattered the very worst predictions. Polar bears are already suffering starvation, drowning and population declines.
We don't intend to back down or declare victory until the polar bear is no longer facing the unthinkable threat of extinction.
You can help give polar bears a fighting chance by making a donation now that will help NRDC fight the next round of this historic courtroom battle with the Bush Administration.
Thank you for making this important advance possible, and thank you for all you're doing to answer the polar bear's S.O.S.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council
P.S. If you haven't done so already, please go to the NRDC Action Fund and tell your Senators to pass tough global warming legislation -- for the sake of the polar bear and our entire planet.
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