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美瀕危物種程序遭政治干涉

2007年12月04日
摘譯自2007年11月29日ENS 美國,華府報導;楊佳珊編譯;蔡麗伶審校

加州Splittail魚群的統計分析資料遭官員刪改,魚群生態面臨隱憂。圖片來源:UC-Davis 據美國內政部督察長最新報告指出,受布希政府指派任職於美國內政部的一高階官員,可能涉嫌參與將加州魚類從聯邦政府瀕危物種名單中移除之決策案,並從中獲利。

該報告揭露了前內政部魚類、野生動物及公園事務副助理部長麥當諾(Julie MacDonald)的所作所為,進而促使美國漁業暨野生動物局(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)決定將修正7項於麥當諾任期內不當干涉之瀕危物種法案規範。

督察長在11月27日發表之報告中表示,雖然麥當諾未參與美國漁業暨野生動物局將物種至名單中移除的初步案,但卻強力介入且非常熟稔最終決策的刪改,例如更改Splittail魚群的統計分析等。另外,報告內容提到許多漁業暨野生動物局官員指出,由於麥當諾刪改之資訊可能被作為未來決策的領先指標,因此對於Splittail魚群可能產生重大影響。

此外,政府官員提出關切表示,當重新檢視魚群生態時,由於麥當諾刪改了資訊,可能導致內政部難以利用科學分析證明目前魚群可能處於數量遞減且棲息地面臨威脅的隱憂。

而由於日前該報告揭露麥當諾對聯邦野生動物科學家施壓,要求其降低對瀕危物種的保護,並將瀕危物種決策之機密文件透漏給企業及私人團體,麥當諾因而於2007年5月1日辭去為期3年的副助理部長一職。

U.S. Endangered Species Program Burdened by Political Meddling
WASHINGTON, DC, November 29, 2007 (ENS)

A top Bush administration appointee at the U.S. Interior Department could have benefited financially from a decision she was involved with to remove a California fish from the federal endangered species list, according to a new report by the agency's inspector general.

The report on the actions of Julie MacDonald, former Interior deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks, comes on the heels of a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revise seven Endangered Species Act rulings she improperly influenced during her tenure at the agency.

Although MacDonald was not involved in the initial decision by Fish and Wildlife Service officials to delist the species, she was "involved extensively and intimately" in the editing of the final decision, including changes to the statistical analysis of Splittail population data, the inspector general wrote in a report released November 27.

The report notes that several Fish and Wildlife Service officials indicated the "changes instituted by MacDonald could potentially have a significant impact on the Splittail" because her edits could be used as a precedent for future decisions.

Officials raised concerns that MacDonald's changes could make it harder for the agency, when reviewing the status of the species, to use scientific analysis outlining concerns that the fish may be experiencing a population decline and that it continues to face threats from habitat loss.

After three years as deputy assistant secretary, MacDonald resigned her post on May 1, 2007 following an earlier report that found she had improperly pressured federal wildlife scientists to weaken protections for endangered species and leaked confidential information on species decisions to industry and private property groups.

全文及圖片詳見:ENS

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.