ASSEMBLYMEMBER TED LIEU
53RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: April 1, 2008
Contact: Sheri Pemberton
Phone: (916) 319-2053

Lieu Resolution to Save Penguins and Polar Bears Approved by Key Committee

(Sacramento, CA) – Today, the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee approved AJR 41, by Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance), which calls on the Bush Administration to provide Endangered Species Act protections for the polar bear and ten penguin species threatened by the impacts of global warming.

"This protection would provide a vital safety net for these threatened penguin species and for polar bears on the brink of extinction," said Assemblymember Lieu. "It will also help alert the public to the preventable tragedy of their decline, including the fact that a rapid, dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to prevent the extinction of these species."

Polar bears, the largest of the world’s bear species, live only in the Artic, and are threatened with extinction as global warming causes catastrophic environmental change that is rapidly melting away the bear’s essential Artic sea-ice habitat.

"This is an extremely timely and necessary resolution," stated Assemblymember Lieu. "California cannot sit back while the Bush Administration holds polar bears and penguins’ hostage, threatening their survival."

On January 9, 2007, in response to a scientific petition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act due to the melting of the polar bear’s sea-ice habitat. On July 11, 2007, in response to a scientific petition, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced it is officially in the process of considering protecting ten penguin species. Unfortunately, both decisions are currently overdue, threatening to postpone placing these animals under the Act’s protection.

AJR 41 is strongly supported by many environmental organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Environment California, Friends of the Earth and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

AJR 41 now goes to the Assembly Floor.