Let's Do Big Things- Save the Snake

photo credit BLM

By Nicole Cordan

Policy and Legal Director

Save Our Wild Salmon

In State of the Union address, President Obama’s salmon joke invoked the spirit of a cherished creature, and through it a culture, a way-of-life, and a bit of our American history – all of which has resonated throughout the country.  While the President might have been off a bit in his facts, he is right that current salmon policies and salmon agencies are inefficient, have wasted money, have cost jobs, and have failed to recover the Northwest’s signature species.   And he is also right to suggest that it’s time for a change.  But what the President didn’t say, and perhaps part of the answer to why his punchline had such a big impact, is what’s at stake if he doesn’t change course on salmon.

From the peaks of the Grand Tetons where it is born, through Yellowstone National Park, across the Continental Divide and then into the rugged mountains of Idaho, northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington, the Snake River and its tributaries form one of the most important habitats in America.  The Snake River Basin is the highest, wildest, most intact salmon spawning and rearing habitat left in the lower 48 states and it is home to one-of-a-kind salmon – salmon that climb higher and travel further than any other salmon on earth – as well as more than a dozen other endangered species.

The Endangered Species Coalition report, It’s Getting Hot Out There, listed this area as one of the top 10 places in the country to protect for endangered species in a warming world.  It’s no surprise why: this special place, nestled in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, is a Noah’s Ark for salmon.  While lower elevation salmon habitats in the Columbia River Basin are expected to warm to temperatures too hot to sustain salmon, the Snake River Basin’s waters will remain cool, allowing salmon to survive, thrive, and reseed the rest of the Columbia River. 

This is what’s at stake: these one-of-a-kind creatures and this unparalleled place will be lost to future generations if this generation – this administration – doesn’t change course.

photo credit BLM

Four federal dams on the lower part of the Snake River wreak havoc on salmon migrating to and from this Noah’s Ark.  Just four dams – in a basin which is known as the most dammed watershed on Earth with about 250 large dams – need to be removed to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures, the more than 140 other species that they feed, the unique place they call home, and the jobs, families and communities that rely on them.

Four dams -- it doesn’t seem like too much to ask, does it?

I’m not suggesting that this path – the path of removing four dams – will be easy.  But given the consequences – the loss if we choose not to protect and reconnect this special place to the creatures that feed it and feed us – the action becomes essential.  And as the President told us in his State of the Union address, it won’t necessarily be easy to build a better future.  But, build a better future we must.  It is a responsibility we hold for the next generation.

In its Spring 2010 Special Issue, Newsweek chose Columbia-Snake River salmon as one of its top 100 places/things to see before they are gone due to climate change. These fish and their rivers were one of just seven such places in the United States. 

One of the top seven.  One of the top ten. 

We are the last generation that gets to decide whether Snake River salmon will exist for our children, and their children.  It is an awesome responsibility.  I want to tell my daughter that we did everything we could to save these creatures for her.  I don’t want to tell her that we had the choice, but we decided to do nothing, or too little, or to stick with the status quo, because it was simply too hard to do what was needed.

The President also reminded us – inspiring some of us – that we are a nation “where anything is possible.  We do big things.  From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream.  That’s how we win the future.”

Let’s dare to dream of a future where Snake River salmon continue to swim through our Northwest waters, feeding us, our ancient forests, and the more than 140 other species that depend on them for their survival.  Let’s do big things – let’s remove those four dams and bring wild salmon back to our rivers, and good jobs back to our coastal and rural communities.  And let’s win the future – for ourselves and for the generations who come after us.   

***

This is a guest post by Save Our Wild Salmon, as part of our occasional series from Endangered Species Coalition member organizations

Happy New Year! Endangered Species Outlook for 2010

Happy New Year! We are looking forward to working with you to protect our nation's disappearing wildlife and last remaining wild places in 2010.

This will be an exciting and important year for endangered species protections. The Obama Administration is working on changes to endangered species programs. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has stated that he will announce changes to Endangered Species Act regulations in 2010. Last year, the Obama Administration overturned several Bush Administration regulations that weakened endangered species protections and removed scientific consultation. (See our post Obama Administration Restores Endangered Species Act protections.) When they announced those changes, they began to collect public comment for how to more effectively administer the Endangered Species Act. At the time, the Endangered Species Coalition submitted suggestions about how to strengthen endangered species protections and thousands of our members also submitted comments. We expect the new proposed regulations early this year and we'll be following the process closely.

In addition, the US Fish and Wildlife Service will be implementing the Climate Change Strategy, the federal plan to protect wildlife and wild places from the impacts of global warming. The Endangered Species Coalition and our member groups will be working closely with them to ensure that endangered species and their habitats are protected. In addition, we'll be pressing for greater protections for the polar bear, gray wolf, pacific salmon and other endangered species.

In 2010, the Endangered Species Coalition and our member organizations will:

	Advocate for stronger protections for endangered species and their habitat;
	Identify and protect the species most at risk from global warming;
	Build public support for gray wolf recovery in Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies;
	Restore pacific salmon and the wild rivers where they live; and
	Organize Endangered Species Day, a celebration of our nation's endangered wildlife, birds, fish and plants

Find out more about the Endangered Species Coalition's work and how to get involved, by clicking here.

More than 200,000 Citizens Ask Secretary Salazar for Real Protections for Polar Bear’s Arctic Home

More than 200,000 people sent Interior Secretary Ken Salazar a holiday gift of thanks today for proposing critical habitat for the polar bear throughout much of America’s Arctic. However, these same concerned citizens also asked Secretary Salazar not to make things worse for the beleagured species – listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008 – by allowing risky and aggressive oil and gas development to move forward in the lands and waters that polar bears, scores of other Arctic wildlife and Arctic indigenous communities depend on to survive. The threats posed by oil and gas development to the polar bear and its Arctic environment have been underscored in recent weeks by reports of three large oil spills in the Arctic’s Prudhoe Bay, and a frightening revist to the past with a major spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.

In late October, the sea ice of the Arctic’s Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, the majority of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, and extensive barrier islands were all proposed as critical habitat for the polar bear. That same week, Secretary Salazar also gave Shell Oil the green light to start drilling in the Beaufort Sea as early as this summer, despite a glaring lack of information on the impacts of such development on the polar bear and other species. In addition, a similar proposal in the Chukchi Sea was conditionally approved earlier this month - even though the government has not yet resolved legal problems with the Bush-era five year leasing plan.

The Arctic is the “least studied and most poorly understood place on earth,” according to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. Thus the full range of impacts from development is unknown. Oil spills are a grave threat in this icy environment, government scientists have predicted a 40 percent chance of one or more large oil spills in the Chukchi Sea alone. There is currently no technology and limited capacity to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic.

There must be a timeout on all leasing and drilling in the Arctic until a comprehensive plan based on sound science and traditional knowledge is developed to determine if, where, when, and how such activities should occur. Additionally, the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge, identified as critical on-land denning habitat for the polar bear, should be given stronger protections.

Statements from conservation groups:

“Let’s begin the next decade by acknowledging that oil drilling means oil spilling in Alaska’s Arctic – and by committing to protect the Arctic both onshore and off for all of us who depend on this fragile ecosystem for the future health of our planet,” said Cindy Shogan, executive director of Alaska Wilderness League.

“Americans have spoken loud and clear in support of protecting the polar bear and its unique and fragile Arctic habitat,” said Rebecca Noblin in the Anchorage office of the Center for Biological Diversity. “If Secretary Salazar is serious about saving polar bears and other Arctic wildlife, he must truly protect their sea-ice habitat by rejecting harmful Bush-era drilling plans.”

“The Interior Department made the right call in protecting most of the places that the polar bear needs to survive. But giving Shell the go ahead to fire up its drills in Beaufort and Chukchi seas doesn’t make sense,” said Karla Dutton, the Alaska program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “Big oil’s bottom-line isn’t endangered here. It’s the polar bear that needs real protection.”

“Today's deadline, which falls on the 36th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, reminds us that foresight and bold action is needed to protect endangered wildlife. This is as true as ever for species such as the polar bear,” said Leda Huta, executive director of the Endangered Species Coalition.

“Secretary Salazar’s decision to designate polar bear critical habitat is very encouraging, and to make it meaningful it needs to be finalized and followed by sound management decisions. If aggressive oil and gas development continues to move forward in America’s Arctic, polar bears and scores of other Arctic wildlife will be at risk,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, acting regional director of The Wilderness Society Alaska office. “Instead, we need a time-out on all new Arctic oil exploration and development until we have a far better understanding of the missing science and risks, particularly in the face of climate change.”

“We urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the designation of critical habitat for the polar bear. There is no question that polar bears are in trouble. Studies have documented plunging survival rates for polar bear cubs and diminishing body weights for adults as a result of melting sea ice. Scientists warn that without protection, polar bears could disappear by 2050. We need to do everything possible to help polar bears survive, including eliminating the threat of offshore drilling and protecting the most critical onshore dening habitat -- the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. There is no environmentally sound way to drill for oil in polar bear habitat,” said Dan Ritzman, Alaska Program Director for the Sierra Club. “We don’t need to sacrifice the chance for future generations to experience polar bears and other wildlife just so oil companies can break their billion-dollar profit records.”

Take the Polar Bear Pledge!

As we enter the holiday season, our thoughts turn to family, friends and loved ones who share our lives. We hope that you will also think of the amazing wildlife, birds, fish and plants that share our planet.

Polar bears are an iconic symbol of the holiday season. They are stars of commericals and on the cover of greeting cards. Unfortunately, that is the only place they are thriving.

Polar bears are endangered because their sea ice habitat is literally melting from under their feet.

Take the Polar Bear Pledge and contribute to our efforts to save polar bears and other endangered species.

Scientists tell us that in 75 years there could be no wild polar bears in the United States. As their habitat shrinks, polar bears are forced to walk and swim longer distances to find food, resulting in weight loss, stress and even death. The cubs can be crushed by collapsing snow caves. We need to help them - and fast.

The Endangered Species Coalition is working with our members and activists to protect the polar bear and other endangered species from threats like habitat destruction and global warming. The polar bear was the first mammal to be listed under the Endangered Species Act primarily because of threats due to global warming. We are now working to secure stronger habitat protections and stop drilling in the Arctic. We have sent petitions to President Obama to protect the polar bear and worked to create programs to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Help save the polar bear and other endangered species by contributing to the Polar Bear Pledge today!

Our friends at the Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation have given us a generous grant challenging us to raise $100,000 by the end of the year. Your contribution will help us reach this goal and protect endangered species.

This is a great time to become a member of the Endangered Species Coalition and take advantage of this challenge grant and the Polar Bear Pledge.

Please join the Endangered Species Coalition today!

Thank you for your support of our work to protect endangered species and their habitat.

Sincerely,
Leda Huta
Executive Director
Endangered Species Coalition

Pacific salmon in hot water

Warmer temperatures and altered stream flows increase the struggle of Pacific salmon

by Steve Toub

Part 1 of a series on the Endangered Species Coalition's report "America's Hottest Species", 11 endangered species impacted by climate change.

Pacific salmon struggle to swim hundreds of miles to return from the ocean to the freshwater streams where they were born. But this struggle pales in comparison to external threats, which have led to a severe decline in Pacific salmon populations. Five populations of Pacific salmon are endangered and 23 are threatened under the Endangered Species Act, including populations of Chinook salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon, and steelhead trout, which are true salmon despite their name. The primary historical cause of the decline as been overfishing, but loss of freshwater habitat has been increasing as a factor. Dam-building, logging, and pollution are among the causes of salmon habitat loss in the past century; looking forward, increased climate change will further stress Pacific salmon populations.

In 2007, the Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Columbia River Basin Indian Tribes, and National Marine Fisheries Service published a major report on Climate Change Impacts on Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife. It predicted that by 2090, more than 40% of salmon habitat in Oregon and Idaho would be lost. Since the impact of of climate change on salmon habitat is more severe at higher elevations, Washington state, which has overall lower elevations, would lose 22% under the worst case.

Warmer air temperatures alter precipitation and water flows in the region, affecting salmon in several ways. More winter precipitation falling as rain than snow (and more overall precipitation) means heavier stream flows and floods that damage spawning nests in gravel stream beds and wash away incubating eggs. Additionally, the lighter snowpack and its earlier snow melt makes peak river runoff earlier, taking them out to sea before plankton blooms are ready, depriving them of a primary food sources. More significantly, reduced stream flows in summer and fall, making the shallower or drying smaller streams up altogether, forcing them into smaller and less diverse habitats and reducing the likelihood that salmon pass the physical obstacles that can prevent them from completing their upstream migration back to where they were born.

Warmer stream and estuary temperatures pose multiple challenges. A report by Light in the River on the impact of global warming on Pacific salmon states that the optimal temperatures range for juvenile and adult salmon is 55-64° F and that stream temperatures over 70° F are extremely stressful; it later notes that "recent summer water temperatures in the Columbia River have averaged 68-70° F" and that global warming trends are expected to continue. Warmer temperatures increase the metabolism of the salmon, forcing them to find more food to survive. However, their food sources may be scarcer: when eggs are hatching earlier young salmon may be out of sync with the insects they eat and other species better adapted for warmer water are better able to compete for the same food sources. Diseases and parasites increase in warmer water, adding an additional stress, more potent when salmon are already thermally stressed. Also, higher water temperatures accelerate embryo development, causing to eggs hatching earlier in the year and leaving salmon fry less developed and therefore more vulnerable to predators.

Rising sea levels, warmer ocean temperatures and ocean acidification may also stress salmon, but less is known about how these changes will affect the species.

Studies have shown the direct correlation between temperature and health of salmon. Warm periods have fewer salmon; cooler periods have relatively higher numbers. One study of four populations for Snake River spring/summer chinook, cited in the Light in the River report, projected that a 22% decline in October streamflow and a 5.5 degree Fahrenheit increase in average June temperature led to a 37-50% decline in population.

Implementing strong habitat restoration plans may be the only way to limit population declines. In one study of how Chinook salmon in the Snohomish River fare under different climate change models and different restoration scenarios, by 2050 populations decline by an average of 20% in one climate change model and 40% in another. Under an aggressive habitat restoration model populations increase by 19% under the less severe climate change model and decline by only 5% in the more sever model. Moderate restoration scenarios under both models resulted overall declines.

Environmental organizations have been pressing the federal government in to adopt a strong salmon recovery plan for years. Save Our Wild Salmon reports that the Obama plan released recently was only marginally better than the plan proposed by the Bush administration and that "runs counter to the science and advice of experts in the field-regional Forest Service, Department of Fish and Wildlife and American Fisheries Society scientists." After a November 23 hearing, a U.S. District Court judge is expected to rule very soon on the status of this latest salmon recovery plan.

Under threat for years and under increasing stress from climate change, Pacific salmon need your help to survive. Donate to the Endangered Species Coalition to help save America's imperiled wildlife for future generations.

America's Hottest Species Report

What is at stake for America's endangered species as decision-makers gather in Copenhagen and Congress debates a climate bill? Our new report, America's Hottest Species, demonstrates how endangered species in our country will be impacted by global warming.

We profile 10 endangered species to serve as ambassadors and demonstrate the ways in which global warming is harming our treasured wildlife and wild places. The report profiles the Kaua'i Creepter, Elkhorn Coral, Bull Trout, Canada Lynx, Pacific Salmon, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Brizzly Bear, Bog Turtle, Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, and Flatwoods Salamander. And we also highlight the Polar Bear, which you and other Endangered Species Coalition members chose as the Activist Choice.

As with all of our efforts, this report was created in collaboration with our incredibly effective member groups, scientific advisors and activists.

Check out our America's Hottest Species report!

Endangered species don't have the luxury of waiting for international decision-makers to waiver on solutions to global warming. In the report, we call on President Obama and Congress to lead on efforts to save wildlife and wild places from climate change.

Global warming may be driving up to 30 percent of the world's species closer to extinction. But if we act now, there is still hope. That is why we are working every day to engage people and organizations in efforts to protect endangered species from urgent threats such as global warming.

Climate change will leave Edith's checkerspot butterflies out of sync

By Steve Toub

As part of our continuing series examining the impacts of climate change on endangered species, we'll now address how the rapid, disruptive climate change impacts the Edith's checkerspot butterfly. The butterfly is so sensitive to climate that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study on the Ecological Impacts of Climate Change says it acts as an "early warning indicator of climate change in North America."

Bay checkerspot butterfly - T.W.Davies (c) California Academy of Sciences

Two subspecies of the Edith's checkerspot butterfly are listed under the Endangered Species Act, the Bay checkerspot in the San Francisco Bay area, which was listed as threatened in 1987 and recommended to be “uplisted” to endangered last month, and southern California's Quino checkerspot, listed as endangered in 1997. Habitat destruction due to human development is the primary cause in declining populations of both subspecies, but the NAS reports that the Quino "is the first endangered species for which climate change is officially listed as both a current threat and a factor to be considered in the plan for its recovery" since the habitat in Baja California that is least developed is becoming too warm and arid to support the population.

Hopenhagen: Habitat for Endangered Species

This is a guest post by Leda Huta, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition, for the Hopenhagen blog, a grassroots movement to build public support for a strong international climate agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December. It is also posted at the Take Part website, a cause-related site that is a project of Participant Media.

The world’s attention is finally focused on the harm climate change presents and serious actions are being taken. While we will all feel the heat soon, some of us are already being impacted. Communities living in low-lying coastal areas know the threat is here now. The same holds true for wildlife. While all wildlife will likely be impacted, some are particularly vulnerable—those species already on the brink of extinction: endangered species.

Climate change has begun threatening these endangered wildlife, birds, fish and plants. Melting sea ice, warming oceans, shifting life cycles and migration are impacting polar bears, penguins, coral, salmon and migratory birds. According to a White House report, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, there could be no wild polar bears United States by the end of the century. Animals that live in the mountains, like the pika and the wolverine, are being forced into smaller islands of high elevation habitat as temperatures rise. The Audubon Society recently published a study showing that North American migratory birds were increasingly moving northward and inland in an attempt to find suitable habitat. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 20 to 30 percent of the world's species will be at an increased risk of extinction if global temperature rises above 1.5 to 2.5° C above pre-industrial levels.

Currently, the U.S. Congress is considering a climate change bill. To truly protect wildlife, the bill needs the following three pillars: 1) funding to help wildlife adapt to climate change, 2) CO2 emissions targets based on what the best available science indicates is needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming to humans and wildlife alike, and 3) existing environmental protections, such as the Clean Air Act to remain in place.

Senators Baucus, Bingaman, T. Udall and Whitehouse have also introduced separate legislation to protect wildlife and wild places from climate change. The Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act addresses the impacts of climate change on natural resources such as forests, coastlines and wildlife habitats, and on the people and economies that depend on those resources. The programs outlined in the bill will help manage forest health, restore watersheds to ensure abundant clean water supplies, and restore wetlands to protect coastal communities.

The bill is designed to show support for these critical programs to protect natural resources from climate change. We need to ask our Senators to support the Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Act and support all efforts to protect wildlife and wild places from the impacts of climate change before it is too late.

To find out more about saving species in a warming world, please visit the Endangered Species Coalition website.

Pacific walrus may be listed under Endangered Species Act

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that they are considering granting Endangered Species Act protections to the Pacific Walrus. The Pacific walrus, which inhabits the Arctic seas between Alaska and Siberia, is at increasing threat of extinction due in part to global warming.

Like the polar bear, the Pacific walrus depends on sea ice for it's survival. The coastal ice acts as a floating nursery for nursing calves and as a staging ground from which adult walruses forage for clams. As the Earth's atmosphere warms causing the sea ice to melt, the walrus is forced inland seeking new habitat. Arctic summer sea ice is predicted to disappear completely by 2030 or before, and 40 percent of winter sea ice in the Bering Sea may be lost by mid-century if current greenhouse gas emissions continue

Inland population shifts such as this have led to overcrowding and deadly stampedes. The National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that Arctic sea ice during the 2007 melt season was at it's lowest recorded level. This led to herds as big as 40,000 and ultimately thousands of deaths due to trampling. More recently, 131 walruses were killed by trampling off the Northwest coast of Alaska.

The Pacific walrus is at further risk of habitat loss due to oil exploration. In 2008, the Bush administration leased nearly 3 million acres of the Chukchi Sea off Alaska to oil companies. The species had seen a half century recovery following a marked decline in the 19^th century due to commercial hunting of the walrus for it's oil, hides, and ivory. By the mid-20th century, commercial hunting was restricted and walrus populations began to recover.

While the Pacific walrus population is currently unknown, it is estimated to be in the relatively stable 200,000 range. It is important that protections be enacted to safeguard it's habitat and limit the degree to which the Earth's temperature continues to rise before it's too late. Please take action now and ask your Senator to pass a strong climate bill. For more information about climate change and endangered species, please visit the Endangered Species Coalition website.

Jon Stewart and I

Jon Stewart and I both had two things on our mind this week: California's Bay-Delta and global warming. The clip from the Daily Show is below. Presumably, he thought about some other stuff too, but I haven't really.

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in the company of some West Coasters who were in Washington DC to highlight how severe an impact the ecological collapse of the Delta is having on people. While industrial irrigators and other opponents have been trying to portray the issue as being hungry farm works suffering because of protections for the Delta Smelt, the issue is much more complex and directly impacts people up and down the West Coast.

The folks I spent the week with include Laura, who operates a restaurant and fish market on the coast in central Oregon. Her business also used to feature a fish wholesale market, with annual revenues close to $1 million. But, 75% of that wholesale business was locally caught salmon. The Bay-Delta was the second largest salmon source on the West Coast outside of Alaska. Salmon from the Delta made up 60% or more of the salmon caught off the Oregon coast. But no more. This is the second year of salmon fishing closures due to a lack of salmon. She can barely get enough fish for her restaurant and retail market (which, by the way, together provide 40 jobs in her small coastal town and served over 130,000 people last year).

Two of the others we were with are salmon fisherman from Half Moon Bay, California now in their second year of unemployment. There are not enough fish to catch without jeopardizing the future of the salmon and the salmon industry. They know that you can't kill off the smelt and save the salmon or their jobs. Just like you can't kill off the smelt and protect the farmers that live and work in the Delta.

There are many reasons the Delta is in a state of collapse. Three years of drought has made it worse and has resulted in some water users - those with junior (i.e. non-guaranteed) water rights - not getting as much water as they would in wet years. They'd have you believe if you just let the smelt go extinct and disappear forever, everything would be fine. Well, you can't squeeze water from a fish. We need to all be working together to implement the solutions that will restore the health of the whole Delta and enable water to continue to be used elsewhere. Fortunately, the Interior Department and National Marine Fisheries Service have been standing up to heavy political pressure, defending their sound science and seeking real solutions.

As for global warming, you've likely heard that Senators Kerry and Boxer have released a draft of new legislation aimed at reducing global warming pollution. It contains many of the improvements we were seeking over the House legislation. It still needs work, but it is a positive step forward. More details on that to come.

Jon Steward missed just one thing I wish he would have pointed out. During this clip, you'll see Sean Hannity and Paul Rodriguez chanting to "turn the water on." Just one problem with their request: the pumps have been on full blast for three months now.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Where the Riled Things Are
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Climate Change Strategy

By Mitch Merry

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released their proposed Climate Change Strategy marking a positive first step in protecting species from the threats caused by a warming world. The Service says that the plan will “help guide the Fish and Wildlife Service’s response to impacts such as changing wildlife migration patterns, the spread of invasive species, changing precipitation patterns and rising sea levels.” It is a strong recognition by the administration of the scientific concensus that human activity is changing the climate system and that the effects on plants, fish and wildlife will be drastic if left unchecked.

The framework for the pioneering plan has 3 elements:

• Adaptation- Limiting the effects of warming on species through habitat restoration and similar projects.
• Mitigation- Reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere to limit the rate at which warming occurs.
• Engagement-Greater public and private involvement worldwide in seeking solutions to help wildlife cope with climate change.
  

While the plan is a laudable launching point for dealing with climate change, it is the first in what needs to be multiple steps. The plan is based in part on legislation currently pending before Congress. The legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, must be passed soon and with robust funding for wildlife adaptation. Please contact your Senator and ask them to ensure that provisions to safeguard natural resource are included in the climate change bill.

To learn more about safeguarding species in a warming world, visit the Endangered Species Coalition website.

Reptiles Slowly but Steadily Feeling the Heat

Recently we've been discussing the effects of climate change on various species such as pikas, polar bears and birds. Today we'll turn our attention to reptiles.

Like pikas, reptiles are moving upslope according to research conducted by the American Museum of Natural History. As they move upslope in response to warming caused habitat loss, they will eventually run out of habitat and gradually go extinct. The Museum's research showed an average shift upslope of 62 to 167 feet, a substantial movement for a species with limited range. As temperatures rise, with a worst case scenario calling for a 6 degree Celcius rise by 2100, species going upslope will soon run out of viable options.

Rising water levels are pushing some aquatic reptiles northward as well as inland. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this phenomenon will bring American Alligators in closer proximity to humans. The increasing number of conflicts will be dangerous not only to people and domestic animals but to the alligators, pythons, and other reptiles that are crowded out of their present swamp and mangrove habitat into backyards and roadways. In addition to being hit by cars, many of these animals will be killed out of fear or retaliation when they come in contact with humans.

In addition to changing the locality of reptile habitat, rising temperatures are impacting the biological processes of species whose sex determination is thermally dependent. According to research published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the sex ratio of some populations of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) are becoming skewed to an extent that could bring about their extinction if temperatures continue to rise. Statistical evaluations indicate that an increase in mean temperature of 4 degrees Celcius would effectively eliminate production of male offspring, ending the possibility of reproduction for the painted turtle.

Lastly, reptiles are at risk of overheating. A recent study by U.S. and Australian researchers concluded that the world's ectotherms will spend an increasing amount of time and energy trying to stay cool. With limited shade habitat, that will require the expenditure of more energy to thermoregulate, or as one researcher said, “"Effectively their rent goes up, but the time they've got to find an income goes down".

It's critical that we act to prevent the worst case scenario from occuring and pass a strong climate bill with adequate wildlife allocation funds attached. Please contact your Senator today and ask them to support strong legislation.

To learn more about species in a warming world, please visit the Endangered Species Coalition website at stopextinction.org.

America's Hottest Species!

Our nation's wildlife, birds, fish and plants are feeling the heat from a warming world. We need to spread the word about the importance of protecting wildlife and wild places from the impacts of climate change.

The Endangered Species Coalition is preparing a report on America's endangered species threatened by climate change. We need your help to pick an ambassador species for our report and our campaign to safeguard species in a warming world.

	Polar Bear: King of the Arctic Polar bears live in one of the harshest environments - the arctic wilderness . Unfortunately, sea ice has been melting under their feet making it harder for them to find food and protect their young. Vote for the Polar Bear!
	Lynx: Wild Snow Cat The lynx is a wild and elusive cat that lives in the northern forests from the Northeast to the Rocky Mountains. Its thick fur and large paws helps it hunt showshoe hares in the far northern wilderness. As climate change continues, the Canada Lynx will no longer be an animal perfectly suited for its habitat and its prey, and its numbers are in jeopardy of declining drastically. Vote for the Lynx!
	Gray Wolf: Wilderness Witness Gray Wolves may face challenges in parts of their range due to climate change for its affect on their food sources, the Moose and Caribou. With a decrease in potential prey, wolves will be increasingly vulnerable. Vote for the Wolf!
	Chinook Salmon: In Hot Water The migration of the salmon from river to ocean is one of nature's most dramatic journeys. Climate change is both heating up and changing the water flows in these streams, causing massive dieoffs of the fish. Vote for the Salmon!
	Leatherback Sea Turtles: Boys are Threatened! Green Sea Turtles return to the shore to lay eggs--ranging from 70 to 100 per brood! When turtle eggs develop, the temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchling. Warmer temperatures result in more females, altering the ratio between males and females. Vote for the Sea Turtle!
	Hawaiian Honeycreeper: Stung to Death? We all dislike getting bitten by mosquitos. When the highly endangered Hawaiian birds are stung by mosquitos, they are at risk for avarian malaria and other diseases. They used to be safe in high mountains, which are too cold for the insects. However, as temperatures rise, their mountain refuge is threatened. Vote for the Honeycreeper!
	Blue Butterly: Where Have all the Flowers Gone? The Karner Blue Butterfly can be found in the upper Midwest and parts of New York and New Hampshire. The butterfly feeds exclusively on wild lupine, which are disappearing due to climate change. Vote for the Butterfly!
	Pika: Moving up the Mountain The American Pika, a cousin to the rabbit, is found in the colder, mountainous, alpine regions of the western United States. Even small changes in the temperature in the mountains can be fatal. As temperatures rise due to global warming, the pika is forced higher up the mountains and may eventually run out of room! Vote for the Pika!
	Right Whale: Save the Whale Babies! The North Atlantic Right Whale is the most endangered large whale in the world. Found along the East Coast, there are only 250-350 whales alive today. They eat krill, a fragile species that is severely affected by the impacts of climate change. As krill populations decline, the whales experience more miscarriages and deaths during infancy, because of the lack of food. Vote for the Whale!
	Orchid: Parched Prairie Potholes The western prairie fringed orchid is found throughout the Midwest in Prairie Potholes, seasonal wetlands at the core of what were once the largest grasslands in the world. Climate change is drying out the seasonal wetlands of these prairies leaving no habitat for the western prairies fringed orchid to thrive. Vote for the Orchid!
	Coral: Bleached to Death! Elkhorn Coral once flourished in the waters off Florida, the Bahamas, and much of the Caribbean. It has been one of the most important reef-building corals, serving as key habitat for fish, lobsters and other species. Warmer temperatures cause the corals to "bleach," turn white and die. Vote for the Coral!

More information on each species and the threat from climate change is available on our website.

To find out more or to vote, visit http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6014/t/6442/questionnaire.jsp?questionnaire_KEY=214

Hot Under the Collar about Climate Change

The debate about climate change is getting hot this summer as industry representatives launch a multi-million dollar effort to kill the bill, including manufacturing fake letters from community groups and generating outrage at town hall meetings this summer. Senators need to hear from people who support strong action on climate change more than ever.

The most shocking news is that the coal industry has forged letters from community groups opposing the climate change bill. According to Grist, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) created fraudulent letters urging members of Congress to vote against the House climate bill. Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, is launching a Congressional investigation into the fraud.

This month, members of Congress are home for the August recess and holding town halls across the country. Industry groups have planned an astroturf campaign against climate bill over August Congressional Recess. (Astroturf campaigns are fake grassroots organizing funded by special interests.) American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, the same group who funded the fake letters, is launching a $1 million campaign to generate outrage against the climate bill at town halls during the congressional recess. Peabody Energy, the world's largest coal company, is also funding Newt Gingrich's efforts to stop the climate bill.

People who care about climate change must speak up to counter these astroturf campaigns. Conservationists are organizing across the country to mobilize public support for a strong climate change bill. Now that the House of Representatives has passed a climate change bill, the Senate is drafting its version. There are many ways that the House bill can be made stronger. Together, we need to ensure the Senate passes a strong bill.

The Endangered Species Coalition is urging the Senate to pass a strong climate bill that includes science based emissions targets, preserves environmental protections and safeguards species in a warming world.

Please send a letter to your Senator asking them to pass a strong climate bill now!

If the links do not work, please visit: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6014/t/6442/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1036

While industry groups blow hot air, the climate is also getting hotter. Our nation's wildlife and wild places are already feeling the effects of climate change. Warming oceans, melting sea ice, drought, severe weather, and shifting life cycles are threatening species including polar bears, lynx, pika, migratory birds, salmon, and coral.

We don't have much time left. We need to act now to stop climate change and protect our nation's wildlife and wild places from its devastating impacts.

Call of the Pika

In the first part of our series on the President's Report on Climate Change, we discussed the potential negative effects of temperature change on the polar bear. Another species at great risk due to climate change is the North American Pika.

The North American Pika is a hamster-like relative of rabbits and hares, ranges from 3-5 inches in length and has a densely furred coat that it does not shed and, as such, it can not dissipate heat easily. Its range includes the mountains and foothills of the Western United States and Canada. They're primarily solitary creatures, but they'll often live near each other in talus fields. Hikers may recognize the pika from the shrill whistle it sounds as a warning when potential predators approach. It's an herbivore that eats grasses and other types of vegetation. It does not hibernate, surviving winter by eating vegetation that it has sun dried and stored for later use.

The pika is thought to be the "canary in the coal mine" for global climate change related impacts because they are especially heat sensitive and susceptible to even minor changes in temperature. The pika's normal body temperature is roughly 104 degrees Fahrenheit and even a short exposure of less than an hour to temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit can be fatal. Because of this, pikas seek higher ground as the temperature rises, leaving some previously populated areas locally extinct.

The Journal of Mammology recently published a study showing that pika have disappeared from 9 of the 25 colonies it observed. Further, biologists have observed that of the remaining pika colonies in the Western U.S., they are on average 900 feet further upslope. Because of this and efforts by conservation groups, the USFWS is conducting a status review to determine whether to add the pika to the Endangered Species List. The decision came as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Earthjustice seeking protection for the species. The USFWS will announce its decision regarding species protection by February 1, 2010.

To find out more about climate change and it's effect of species as well as what you can do to help, please visit the ESC website at www.stopextinction.org.

Ask Congress to Protect Our Natural World from Climate Change

In the next few weeks, Congress will vote on an energy and climate change legislation called the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. It sets a first ever cap on global warming pollution and helps reduce the impacts of climate change on our communities, our health and our natural resources. This bill is a good first step, but needs to be strengthened.

Ask Congress to defend and strengthen the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Go to http://tinyurl.com/ACESalert

This bill is truly the first time that Congress has contemplated comprehensive legislation to protect wildlife, wild lands and all of the ecosystem services they provide from the threat of climate change. It provides a dedicated stream of funding to specifically help wildlife, fish, plants, and birds on land and in the oceans adapt to climate change. Polluters payments would go directly to funding the conservation programs. And although additional funding will be needed to truly protect wildlife from climate change threats, this is an incredibly important first step.

Safeguarding Species
The House legislation includes a section on initiating and expanding a number of efforts to help reduce the impacts that global warming will have on our communities, our health and our natural resources. Endangered species -and species put at risk of extinction due to global warming - would benefit greatly from these efforts. Basically, these efforts include:

Creating national and local strategies
A wide-range of stakeholder agencies would work together to create a federal plan for protecting or adapting natural resources, including vulnerable wildlife and plants, to the impacts of global warming and ocean acidification. Government agencies and states would then create their own plans that implements their portions of this plan.

Ensuring scientific integrity
Centers within NOAA and USGS would help guide adaptation efforts, coordinate needed research, and be a resource for the scientific and technical needs of addressing the impacts of our changing climate.

Providing resources
The House legislation initially approves spending the equivalent of 1 percent of the potential auction values on natural resources "adaptation" efforts starting in 2012, with the money being used to implement the national and state action plans. This money is distributed across federal agencies, states and tribes. The allocation would bump up to 2 percent in 2022 and then to 4 percent in 2027. It is estimated that this would provide roughly $550 million in 2012 and expand to just over $4 billion by 2030.

Improvements Needed
As Congress continues to debate global warming legislation, the Endangered Species Coalition will be working to protect and strengthen the provisions safeguarding species. Most notably, the need for funding for natural resources adaptation far exceeds what is allocated currently. At a minimum, 5 percent of the value of the total potential auction revenues should be directed to natural resources adaptation. The process used to distribute this funding also needs to ensure that the revenues are dedicated to these purposes and cannot be misdirected elsewhere.

This legislation is a good start, but it needs to be supported and strengthened. Industry lobbyists are trying to weaken the bill, including removing key programs and funding that would protect natural resources from the impacts of climate change.

Please send a letter to your member of Congress today and ask them to defend the natural resource adaption programs and funding.http://tinyurl.com/ACESalert

The next few weeks are critical. We need your help to defend and strengthen the American Clean Energy and Security Act so that it adequately addresses global warming and provides resources to safeguard our nation's wildlife and wild places from the impacts of climate change.

Send a letter today to protect our natural world from climate change.http://tinyurl.com/ACESalert

Irreplaceable; Wildlife in a Warming World

Over the last year, the Endangered Species Coalition has been working with an exciting campaign by faith, science, art, and conservation groups working together to spread the word about animals and plants struggling in the face of climate change. Species as diverse as the polar bear, monarch butterfly, whooping crane, and bluefin tuna are already feeling the heat from global warming, and need our help.

This effort is centered around a traveling photography exhibit showcasing these imperiled species, and these breathtaking images are available online at www.irreplaceablewild.org.

Now, you can be part of the exhibit through a unique photo petition!

Our latest effort has been collecting photos of people all over the country who care about these species. We will be turning photos of YOU (Caring members of the public) into a collective mosaic of a polar bear, the iconic image of a species suffering in a warming world. Our goal is to collect 1,000 photos, and to present the final mosaic image to Congress as a public call for steps to help wildlife at-risk from climate change.

Do you have photos? We think you do! Be part of the Photo Petitoon Today!

Want to participate? Send us your photo here!

Guidelines: Your photo is more likely to be used if it is a high quality image (at least 640×400), is not over-exposed, and is a landscape orientation. Please only submit photos of yourself, or you and a few friends who have agreed to be part of the campaign. Please include your name, city, and state in your email as well.

By submitting your photo, you understand that it may be used in the Irreplaceable Photo Petition Project, and give permission for your image to be shown publicly for the purposes of the campaign

How the Omnibus helps endangered species

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected today to debate an omnibus bill that sets the federal government’s budget for the rest of the fiscal year. The bill has some good news for endangered species.

First, it includes budget increases for many endangered species programs, which have been ailing for years. For the main Fish and Wildlife Service programs, which include listing and critical habitat designation; consultations; candidate protections; and recovery efforts, there is an increase of almost $7.5 million – or approximately five percent. Within the National Marine Fisheries Services, marine mammal protections gained $1.5 million (or almost four percent). We had been advocating for significantly larger increases to help combat staffing shortages and the growing waiting list of candidates in need of protection, but the increases will be helpful and are appreciated. Regrettably, there were decreases for funding for sea turtles (well below even what President Bush’s budget had recommended) and the Bureau of Land Management’s threatened and endangered species program – despite the growing pressure that will be coming with more energy development of all types. More broadly, there is also help for developing a national strategy to protect wildlife and natural resources from the effects of global warming.

The bill also provides hope for endangered species in another big way. Text in the bill would grant Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and the yet to be confirmed Secretary of Commerce 60 days to review and possibly repeal the Bush Administration’s last minute regulations that undermined endangered species protections. Secretary Salazar could also repeal or amend the special rule put into place that impacts polar bear protections.

We’ve been working hard along with our member groups to undo these bad rules and it is great to see this included in the bill. However, there is still work to do. Some lawmakers have called this language a “backdoor” attempt to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. They are wrong; the repeal would actually just return us to the status quo of the last 20 years. But that may not prevent them from trying to offer amendments that would remove the language. If they do attack these provisions, we’ll need your help. Stay tuned and we’ll let you know more as this develops.

p.s. other good news came today with expansion of critical habitat for the Canada lynx, which had its original designation slashed by political interference from a Bush Administration appointee.

Schwarzenegger fires first salvo in attack on endangered species

Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger chose to celebrate Earth Day by launching what may be the first salvo in the next big attack on endangered species. Instead of celebrating the successes of endangered species protection, such as the bald eagle, gray wolf and California condor, Schwarzenegger decided to use endangered species protection as a scapegoat. He blasted his own California environmental agency for “slowing approval of a solar facility in Victorville” because of “an endangered squirrel.”

Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero 3 Showing in Sacramento on Earth Day 2008, California Progress Report, Bill Walker, Environmental Working Group

Climate Wire: Endangered Species: Squirrel casts long shadow over solar project

Unfortunately, we expect this to become a pattern: short-sighted politicians and the industries that give them money will be using this argument against the Endangered Species Act as a “red-herring.” They’ll try to dupe the public into believing that in order to deal with the impacts of global warming, we’ll have to throw out all environmental protections, including those that safeguard wildlife and humans.

Schwarzenegger isn’t the first. Last year, Georgia’s governor asked the Bush Administration to exempt the state from the Endangered Species Act because of drought in the south.

AP, Georgia’s governor declares drought emergency; White House says it will review Perdue’s request for federal assistance

Both Governors are clearly comfortable divulging only one part of the story. Governor Schwarzenegger conveniently skirts around the fact that conservationists working to protect endangered species would in fact be pleased to see solar power in the Mojave Dessert, provided that the facility is cited properly. And, Governor Perdue preferred not to focus on the fact that Georgia’s water management policies don’t just impact endangered species, they also impact Floridians living downstream, including fisherman of Apalachicola Bay—where most of Florida’s oysters are harvested.

With the immediate peril of global warming, endangered species protections are needed more than ever. Already on the brink of extinction, endangered species are the most vulnerable to changes in climate. Melting sea ice, warming ocean and river waters, shifting life cycles and migration are impacting endangered species, including polar bears, penguins, coral, salmon and migratory birds. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that we’ll have up to 60 percent species loss in some areas if global warming continues unabated. In addition to having a direct impact on endangered species, climate change will also negatively impact the political environment for endangered species.

Yet, while endangered species will be impacted more than ever, their protections will also be targeted more than ever. Extractive industries and the politicians that receive their contributions have tried to chip away at endangered species protections for decades. Now, as humans face increasing impacts due to climate change, opponents to endangered species protections will falsely claim that environmental protections must be eliminated to prioritize human needs. We know that it is a specious argument and that protecting wildlife and wild lands is key in protecting humans—for our drinking water, for our air, for our food and medicinal sources, and for our quality of life. Nevertheless, endangered species will now also have to overcome this new political reality.

As much of the West begins to suffer from more frequent droughts due to global warming, and water shortages create escalating tensions within the region, our opponents will have a whole new audience to target with this message. A recent study in Science found that the global warming is causing drought across the west. As National Geographic reported “The U.S. West will see devastating droughts as global warming reduces the amount of mountain snow and causes the snow that does fall to melt earlier in the year.”

No longer will it be a few thousand loggers impacted by decisions on ancient forests. Now, we may have many tens of thousand of individuals throughout the West impacted by water management decisions.

Our opponents will make the most of this opportunity by using endangered species protections as a scapegoat, framing the issue in simplified and false humans-versus-wildlife terms and setting up the entire West as a fervent battleground on environmental protections. We can count on these opponents to environmental protections to cherry-pick information and provide only one part of the story, painting any type of regulation as extremist and obstructionist.

We know from our decades-long work on this issue that in order for endangered species to get a fair shake in the media, we’ll need to get the word out now—before our opponents make the mantra of “let’s weaken environmental protections to battle other environmental problems” a constant drumbeat. And, to silence that drum, we’ll need the power of grassroots organizing.

To address this threat head-on, we have a campaign focused on the linkages between global warming and endangered species. To find out more about our work to protect endangered species from the impacts of global warming, visit http://www.stopextinction.org/.

Leda Huta, Executive Director
Endangered Species Coalition
lhuta@stopextinction.org
http://www.stopextinction.org/