Endangered Legacy

Bush opts unexpectedly to protect more endangered species

AS THE SELF-STYLED "ENVIRONMENTAL PRESIDENT," George Bush has been anything but. The list of his Administration's antigreen positions is long, but high up on it is a reluctance to add animals and plants to the endangered-species list. The Bush argument: overprotecting species threatens businesses and jobs. And spotted owls, unlike loggers, can't vote. Last spring the Administration's stonewalling led to a lawsuit by several environmental groups.

That suit was unexpectedly settled last week when the Interior Department agreed to add about 400 species (mostly plants in Hawaii, California, the desert Southwest and Pacific Northwest) over the next four years -- roughly...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!