WASHINGTON
- November 7 - Statement by Karen Wayland, Acting Legislative Director, NRDC Tucked
away in the defense authorization bill passed this morning by the House of Representatives
were Bush administration-sponsored provisions exempting the Defense Department
from complying with the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection
Act. Below is a statement by Karen Wayland, acting legislative director for NRDC
(the Natural Resources Defense Council). "The
Pentagon is trying to exploit the unfortunate events of the past two years by
asking us to sacrifice our natural heritage under the guise of national security.
The United States has the most powerful military in the world, and the Pentagon
built that fighting force while complying with our environmental laws. "Exempting
the Pentagon from these laws will allow the military to threaten whales, dolphins
and other marine mammals with sonar and underwater explosives, and destroy the
habitat of the endangered birds and mammals that live on the 25 million acres
it controls across the country -- with next to no environmental review. "An
overwhelming majority of Americans believe the Pentagon should comply with our
environmental laws. No government agency should be above the law, especially those
that protect America's air and water, public health, and endangered wildlife." ### | 
