In a very controversial move, the Bush Administration has put the Polar Bear on the Endangered Species List. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had asked the Bush administration in January 2007 to give polar bears protection. The move is very controversial as it could effect our economy in dramatic ways. They could not really wait to act since a Federal Judge had given them a deadline to rule on the Polar Bear.
The danger to the Polar Bear are not really visible at this time as in fact there are more Polar Bears alive now than in 1950. The danger to them comes from melting artic snow, which some say may partially melt by 2050. The melting iof the ice caps is tied to the the Global Warning of this planet which many believe is caused by our carbon dioxide emmissions among other pollutants.
Environmentalists will now say that any attempts to drill for oil in the Alaska and other Artic areas as we try to bring in more oil production online to keep the rising price of oil in check could impact the Polar bear cauding long delays in getting needed permits.
