Hill Heat: Boxer Requests Hearing with Interior Secretary over Polar Bear DelaysScience Policy Legislation Actiontag:hillheat.com,2005:TypoTypo2008-03-24T12:34:08-04:00Brad Johnsonurn:uuid:59cef6de-d9d9-427a-b427-099c527bca932008-03-24T11:34:00-04:002008-03-24T12:34:08-04:00Boxer Requests Hearing with Interior Secretary over Polar Bear Delays<p>On Thursday March 20, Sen. Boxer (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=cd1741be-802a-23ad-482f-367ac86d5cae&Designation=Majority">sent a letter</a> to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne asking him “to appear before the Committee as soon as possible for an oversight hearing” on the “considerable delays in taking final action” over the <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/articles/2008/01/09/administration-misses-polar-bear-deadline-conservation-groups-to-sue">Endangered Species Act listing of the polar bear</a>. Boxer told him that the hearing would be planned for April 2 or 8.</p>
The following day, Lyle Laverty, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, faxed back a response at 5:56 PM saying:
<blockquote>I understand Secretary Kempthorne called you on March 17, 2008, and expressed his commitment to testify before the Committee on the polar bear proposal once a decision is made on the issue. I also understand the Secretary committed to calling you on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, with an update on the progress towards a decision.</blockquote>
<p>Boxer <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=d39ea596-802a-23ad-429c-5b39b9a44499&Designation=Majority">immediately responded</a>, calling the offer of a telephone briefing and a hearing after a decision has been made “wholly inadequate,” and again requested the April 2 or 8 date for a hearing discussing “this serious breach of the Department’s duty to follow the law.”</p>
<p>It has been nearly a month since <span class="caps">FWS</span> director Dale Hall stated in a <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/events/2008/02/28/fy-2009-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-and-geological-survey-budget">House Appropriations Committee hearing</a> that he had submitted his decision on the polar bear listing to Secretary Kempthorne.</p><p>On Thursday March 20, Sen. Boxer (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=cd1741be-802a-23ad-482f-367ac86d5cae&Designation=Majority">sent a letter</a> to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne asking him “to appear before the Committee as soon as possible for an oversight hearing” on the “considerable delays in taking final action” over the <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/articles/2008/01/09/administration-misses-polar-bear-deadline-conservation-groups-to-sue">Endangered Species Act listing of the polar bear</a>. Boxer told him that the hearing would be planned for April 2 or 8.</p>
The following day, Lyle Laverty, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, faxed back a response at 5:56 PM saying:
<blockquote>I understand Secretary Kempthorne called you on March 17, 2008, and expressed his commitment to testify before the Committee on the polar bear proposal once a decision is made on the issue. I also understand the Secretary committed to calling you on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, with an update on the progress towards a decision.</blockquote>
<p>Boxer <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=d39ea596-802a-23ad-429c-5b39b9a44499&Designation=Majority">immediately responded</a>, calling the offer of a telephone briefing and a hearing after a decision has been made “wholly inadequate,” and again requested the April 2 or 8 date for a hearing discussing “this serious breach of the Department’s duty to follow the law.”</p>
<p>It has been nearly a month since <span class="caps">FWS</span> director Dale Hall stated in a <a href="http://www.hillheat.com/events/2008/02/28/fy-2009-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-and-geological-survey-budget">House Appropriations Committee hearing</a> that he had submitted his decision on the polar bear listing to Secretary Kempthorne.</p>