美國非營利組織「生物多樣性中心」2日於聯邦法庭提出五件訴訟，共同指控布希政府以政治力干預六個西部物種重要棲地的指定，而這些物種都是名列瀕危物種法案的瀕危或受威脅物種。
這些物種包括兩種鳥類：西方雪鴴、西南柳木鶲；哺乳類一種：美景湖鼩；兩爬類一種：加州虎螈；以及加州植物兩種：蒙茲的洋蔥和San Jacinto Valley crownscale
這些訴訟是生物多樣性中心為了挽回對十幾種瀕危物種的錯誤政治決定所進行的行動。這行動始於2007年8月28日，該組織提出欲執行訴訟的通知，準備向政府對於分布在28州內，55個瀕危物種重要棲地不當決定提告。
生物多樣性中心科學主任格林沃德說：「以這六種生物的為例，政府的錯誤政策，造成西部七個州內超過30萬畝的棲地被取消保護。」
格林沃德舉加州虎螈的例子，指出政府將美國漁業和野生生物局的科學家在索諾瑪郡訂出的74233畝重要棲地全數取消。重要棲地對於瀕危生物的生存和復育來說是「必需的」。
科學家認定必要的重要棲地，在其他生物的案例中被取消的比例從23%到100%不等。
「布希政府表完全不顧政府所屬科學家的科學性決議，而這種罔視專業的做法，讓這六物種及其他更多的生物面臨滅絕的險境。」格林沃德說。
但現在還有281個物種被確認待保護，卻未列上名單；以及法院查到有許多重要棲地的指派是不合法的，因為他們不是以科學為基礎。
格林沃德表示：「下個政府將要為修正布希政府對瀕危物種管理所犯的錯誤而努力。瀕危物種的保護計畫必須確實。」
The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity today filed five separate lawsuits in federal court all charging the Bush administration with political interference in designation of critical habitat for six western species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The species include two birds, the western snowy plover and the southwestern willow flycatcher; a mammal, the Buena Vista Lake shrew; an amphibian, the California tiger salamander; and two California plants, the Munz's onion and the San Jacinto Valley crownscale.
The lawsuits are the latest action taken by the organization in its campaign to undo politically tainted decisions concerning dozens of endangered species.
The campaign began August 28, 2007 when the group filed a notice of intent to sue over decisions involving 55 endangered species in 28 states, covering 8.7 million acres of critical habitat.
"In the case of these six species, the administration's malfeasance resulted in the removal of protection for over 300,000 acres of habitat in seven western states," Noah Greenwald, science director for the Center for Biological Diversity.
Greenwald gives as an example the California tiger salamander, saying that the administration excluded all of the 74,223 acres of critical habitat in Sonoma County that was identified by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists as "essential" to the survival or recovery the species.
Critical habitat exclusions for the other species ranged from 23 to 100 percent of the acres identified as essential by scientists.
"The Bush administration has demonstrated a total disregard for the scientific conclusions of the government's own scientists," said Greenwald. "This disregard places these six species and numerous others at risk of extinction."
But there are currently 281 candidate species that are recognized as warranting protection but have yet to be listed, and a host of critical habitat designations that the courts have found to be illegal because they were not based on science.
"The next administration is going to have their work cut out for them to correct the problems with endangered species management created by this administration," said Greenwald. "The endangered species program needs a complete overhaul."
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