Obama won't defend Bush's spotted owl cuts

[n2doc]

By JEFF BARNARD
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- The Department of the Interior has told a federal court that it will not defend the Bush administration's decision to cut back protections for the northern spotted owl.

The action could affect logging in western Oregon.

The department made the notification in a motion filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Interior Department lawyers said in the motion that the decision was based on an inspector general's report finding there was political interference in owl protections by a former deputy assistant Interior secretary.

http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1110ap_obama_spotted_owl.html


"Political interference in owl protections" sheesh, who'd a thunk it?