Bush gives a parting gift to Bristol Bay, environmentalists and the incoming administration

The Bush administration continues its 11th hour fire sale of public lands by directing the Bureau of Land Mismanagement to open up one million acres of the Bristol Bay region to oil and gas development. This on top of last minute changes in the Endangered Species Act, new leases bordering national parks and a rule change eliminating one of the few rules regulating mountaintop mining. They are timing the implementation of the new regulations so as to make it extremely difficult for the new administration to roll them back. 

From the Anchorage Daily News:

Despite vigorous opposition, federal officials plan to open roughly 1 million acres near some of Alaska's richest salmon streams to mineral exploration and oil and gas leasing.

Large blocks of land in Southwest Alaska would be opened to development -- for the first time in more than 35 years -- in the same two river drainages as Pebble, the giant copper and gold prospect.

One of the drainages is the Kvichak River, which has the largest sockeye salmon run in the world. The other is the Nushagak River, the state's second-largest king salmon producer.

LINK

Comments

[roughfisher]

Those bastards!

[Tim Pask]

I'm afraid W has bought off on the "YES WE CAN" phrase and is putting it to us once again. The WORST administration in our history. But at least he will screw us to the very end.

[YoMama Bama]

So I assume after Jan 20th, we will see endless articles of the evil enviromental policies of Obama? He will be responsible for everything, right?

[MARK]

I find it damnable but not suprising that devil man W has found yet another way to stick it to nature and drop the ball in someone elses court to take the blame. here is to the W for giving the high hard one to the honorable spot of United States President.

[MARK]

I find it damnable yet unsuprising that devil amn W found another way to screw the enviromnet and get away with it. Heres to you W for finding more ways to tarnish the position of United States President. May God Judge you as you have judged everything else"not worthy of saving".