Comment from kim bauer

The Obama administration has also denied the Pacific Walrus a place on the Endangered Species List (ESA) at the same time, not because it was not warranted, but because the department believes that "other imperiled species are a higher priority." Those other species are the threatened seals of the Alaskan arctic. show real public support for the animals most in need of the protection a listing under the ESA can provide. The proposed listing, includes four subspecies of ringed seals and two distinct species of bearded seals, all of which are in danger due to continued, rapid oil and gas development, shipping, and of course, climate change. The seals need thick ice and substantial snow cover to make their dens and reproduce. As pollutants increase and temperatures rise, the ecosystem that the seals rely on for survival begins to degrade. The Center for Biological Diversity predicts that all ice pack could be gone in the next 20 years, making the protection of these seals, and the environment on which they rely, a top priority. Because Arctic species rely on a cooler climate for survival, the listing of the seals under the ESA, like the polar bear, creates legal obligation for the United States to slow the warming climate and those industries which contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, namely, the oil, gas and coal industry (When the polar bear was listed, they got around this with a special exemption). But as more Arctic species are listed, ESA-based restrictions could lead to less risky off-shore oil drilling and less climate-warming pollution. it's not surprising when his, and other state government employee's paychecks, are based on oil revenues. Ninety percent of the State of Alaska's funding comes from Arctic oil development, but we can't let unsustainable development and greed determine the future of our environment.