Posted on Behalf of Ashley Yeager
Sarah Palin 0 : Endangered species 2
That’s the score after a small, whitish whale got the best of the Alaskan governor last week. The federal government has added belugas that live in Cook Inlet in Alaska to the endangered species list despite cries from Palin that the listing is premature. She said the same about polar bears earlier in the year — but to no avail.
As for the whales, in spite of protections already in place, the Cook Inlet population is not recovering, says James Balsiger, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries service (press release).
NOAA claims that the recovery of the Cook Inlet whales is potentially hindered by strandings, continued development within and along upper Cook Inlet, oil and gas exploration and production, and industrial activities that discharge or accidentally spill pollutants. Disease and predation by killer whales also affects the beluga population. By listing the whales as endangered any federal agency that funds, authorizes, or carries out new projects or activities that may affect the whales in the area is forced to first consult with NOAA’s fisheries service.
Reuters reports that, at the urging of the Palin administration, NOAA actually delayed a planned listing decision in April 2008 so that it could conduct an additional summer population survey. The numbers did not change and the whales now make the list.
But Palin said the listing decision was still “premature” and could potentially restrict coastal and offshore oil and gas development and other projects, which would hurt Alaska’s economy (New York Times).
The VP hopeful is not alone in her position though. Anchorage mayor and Democratic Senate contender Mark Begich opposes the decision too. He said that the listing could also derail a $500 million project to expand Anchorage’s port (Boston Globe).
The question now is what species Palin might take on next, should she become VP — the Globe suggests skunks would be appropriate.
Image: Beluga from ‘An account of the Arctic regions with a history and description of the northern whale-fishery’ via NOAA.