Interior does SORTA right by polar bears — finally

The Department of the Interior has listed polar bears as a threatened species. Of course, the official listing was full of denialism:

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne cited dramatic declines in sea ice over the last three decades and projections of continued losses, meaning, he said, that the polar bear is a species likely to be in danger of extinction in the near future.

But Kempthorne said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to use the protection of the bear to reduce greenhouse gases, or to broadly address climate change.

So, Arctic sea ice is melting of its own free will, then?

At the same time, Kempthorne was not able to totally deny global warming:

“This listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting,” said Kempthorne. He said he had consulted with the White House on the decision, but “at no time was there ever a suggestion that this was not my decision.”

And, Big Oil still lurks in the background.

Kempthorne’s listing has semi-sized loopholes, too, to keep Arctic oil drilling going, and to “protect” power plants.

That’s why he said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to use this to tackle global warming. It also shows just how much he “consulted” with the White House.

And Kempthorne didn’t address why Interior had to be legally prodded into the decision, and the delays it did.