Secretary Kempthorne Announces Listing of Polar Bear as Threatened Under the Endangered Species Act, But Attempts to Limit the Listing’s Role in Regulating Climate Change

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced on May 14, 2008 that he is accepting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) recommendation to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The news release with this announcement is available at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species Program Website and the final rule listing the polar bear is available at the U.S. Department of the Interior Website. Secretary Kempthorne noted that the listing is based on the best available science, which shows that the loss of the polar bear’s sea ice habitat is threatening, and will likely continue to threaten, the polar bear’s survival.