Fish and Wildlife Service seeks blatant exemption from National Environmental Policy Act requirements (Confirms USARK’s Challenge to Rule):
The Obama Administration has repeatedly made a bias of compliance with the environmental impact review requirements when it serves their purposes (for example, see the Keystone pipeline issue which has conveniently been under NEPA review for years).
Just two months after USARK raised questions with regard to the FWS failure to respond to environmental impact criticisms by the industry, researchers, state and federal wildlife officials, and zoos and aquariums when listing the four species of injurious snakes, FWS proposes a blanket NEPA exemption for itself under the Lacey Act.
There is no justification for exempting a Lacey Act listing that – as with snakes – has adverse environmental consequences. The FWS is clearly concerned that their listing is on shaky legal ground and they are looking for ways around federal law. The reptile community must oppose this proposal!
Our legal arguments challenging the Lacey Act listings are strong and clearly have the agency on the defensive. USARK will be posting talking points in the coming days so that you can join us to defeat this blatant abuse of agency power.
You can view the pertinent information from the Federal Register at http://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/...NEPAaction.pdf. - See more at: http://usark.org/#sthash.bUIps9VV.dpuf
http://usark.org/2013-blog/fws-seeks-nepa-exemption/