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Dr. Rosa
Meehan, Supervisor
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
1011 East Tudor
Road
Anchorage, AK
99503
Dear Dr.
Meehan,
Thank you for
your participation in the proposal to list the polar bear as a
threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. As you
know, the scientific evidence that polar bears are threatened
with extinction from global warming is overwhelming.
Arctic sea ice
is essential for the polar bear�s survival, but 80% of that ice
could be gone by 2028, and all of it by 2040. As your work
shows, polar bears are already suffering the effects: birth
rates are falling, more bears are drowning and fewer cubs are
surviving.
So, I�m very
concerned that your proposal fails to identify global warming
pollution as the cause of the rising Arctic temperatures and the
sea ice that is rapidly disappearing. Our society and
government�s refusal to curb global warming pollution is a
primary cause of the polar bear�s melting habitat and terrible
plight. I believe it deserves to be, and must be, addressed.
The discussion
of the kind of habitat that is essential for the polar bear�s
survival in your proposal is appreciated. Unfortunately, your
proposal does not designate any of that habitat as �critical
habitat� that could be essential in the bear�s recovery. Please
reconsider this without delay.
Thank you for
your consideration.
Richard
Vanceunebrouck-Werth
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