A proposed federal rule for managing America’s polar bears will look a lot like previous policy that did not address the effects of greenhouse gases on sea ice.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday the polar bear proposal will not change management and conservation efforts.
Polar bears were listed as threatened in 2008 because of losses to sea ice habitat. Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said the Endangered Species Act would not be used to limit greenhouse gases blamed for Arctic warming.
Brendan Cummings of the Center for Biological Diversity says President Obama is duplicating the ineffective measures of his predecessor.
He says polar bear conservation measures that don’t mention greenhouse gases are like discussing the Titanic without mentioning icebergs.
