WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lois Capps criticized the Bush Administration’s broad politicization of science and weakening of environmental protections.   Capps questioned Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett regarding the Administration’s flawed implementation of the Endangered Species Act, and raised concerns that threatened habitat and endangered species – including the Central Coast’s Western Snowy Plover – were harmed by the reliance on politics rather than science to make policy implementation decisions.

“I am deeply disturbed by what we heard today from the Bush Administration’s officials,” said Capps.  “Today’s hearings exposed the troubling record of abuse and distortion of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) science that has characterized the Bush Administration’s flawed approach to implementing environmental policy.  The ESA requires the Federal Government to use the best available science in developing solutions to prevent the loss of plants, wildlife and critical habitat.  We know that when policymakers use the best available science, better decisions result.  Yet the Bush Administration has repeatedly relied on politics to guide its decision making process, dismissing scientific evidence and undermining the intent of this important conservation law.

“Specifically, we learned that Bush Administration political appointees ignored the recommendations of scientists and peer reviewers when making decisions about eliminating critical habitat protections for several species, including the threatened Western Snowy Plover.   Loss and degradation of habitat is the number one cause of species endangerment. 

“In the case of the Western Snowy Plover, there were serious flaws in the process the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used to determine critical habitat for the bird.  For example, agency biologists specifically questioned the validity of the economic analysis the Bush Administration used to slash the bird's habitat, and peer reviewer comments on the final rule not only supported designation of critical habitat, but in two cases argued for more critical habitat.

“These revelations are very disconcerting and reflect the Administration’s troubling tendency of dismissing conclusive scientific evidence that contradicts its political goals.  This political posturing has yielded devastating results across the spectrum, from environmental policy to health care and national security.  For the good of our country this type of political interference in sound scientific policy must stop.”

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.