America's newest Vice-Presidential candidate was involved in instituting a "cash payment", as opposed to using the term bounty, which would have been overtly illegal, to those who "bring in the left forelegs of wolves taken from any of several designated control areas." She and the State of Alaska had to be taken to court to end this.
Here is the full original press release from Defenders of Wildlife:
March 27, 2007
Defenders of Wildlife Asks Judge to Shut Down Palin's Wolf Bounty Program
Bounty Law Repealed in 1984 – Alaska Does Not Have Regulatory Authority to Impose New Incentives
Anchorage, AK -- Today Defenders of Wildlife, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance and the Alaska Chapter of the Sierra Club asked the Alaska Superior Court to shut down Governor Palin's $150-per-wolf bounty program citing the fact that Alaska's bounty laws were repealed in 1984 and the State has no current legal authority to implement the bounties.
"The Governor is overstepping her legal authority by offering cash payments for each wolf killed by aerial gunners," stated Tom Banks, Defenders of Wildlife's Alaska Associate. "That's a bounty by anyone's standards regardless of what they call it."
Hoping to boost the number of wolves killed this year by permitees, Palin announced the state would pay $150 for each kill. According to an Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) news release, the bounty was instituted to "motivate permittees to redouble their efforts and to help offset the high cost of aviation fuel, ADF&G will offer cash payments to those who return biological specimens to the department." The state's press release, issued last Wednesday, indicates that "Permittees will be paid $150 when they bring in the left forelegs of wolves taken from any of several designated control areas."
"Governor Palin needs to take a close look at wildlife management practice in her state and restore the use of sound science," concludes Banks. "She said would heed the will of the public, but it's increasingly clear she's only listening to that segment that is willing to sacrifice Alaska's natural heritage for the benefit of a few."
The judge is expected to make a decision fairly quickly.
Defenders and the co-plaintiffs expressed an additional concern that the bounty offered by the State will encourage the illegal killing of wolves outside the control area.
Defenders of Wildlife is represented by Mike Frank of Trustees for Alaska, a public interest law firm, and Valerie Brown, an Anchorage attorney in private practice.
Couple of weeks later:
April 13, 2007
Defenders Pleased As Alaska's Wolf Bounty Ends; Concern as State Targets Black Bears
Statement by Tom Banks, Defenders of Wildlife
Anchorage, AK -- In a status report filed by the state with the court on April 6 and received by Defenders of Wildlife and the other plaintiffs earlier this week, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) stated it had immediately terminated the bounty program in response to the temporary restraining order and had decided not to pursue any further “incentive- type” payments such as aviation fuel for the remainder of this predator control season. The report also stated that the Board of Game has given no indication that it intends to meet to adopt emergency regulations to allow bounties. Following is a statement from Tom Banks, Defenders of Wildlife Alaska associate.
“Defenders of Wildlife is very pleased to learn of the state's action. The Commissioner of ADF&G and the Governor violated the law in implementing the bounty program. While we are pleased with this victory, we are deeply troubled by the recent expansion of the predator control program in Unit 16B, an 11,000 square mile area north and northwest of Anchorage, to allow hunters to kill up to 1,400 of the estimated 1,500 to 2,000 black bears in this area. Most troubling is that sows and cubs are being targeted for the first time and the timing of the hunts could mean that cubs born this year could be left to starve if their mothers are killed. Lastly, airplane use is already outrageous. It'll be even more so if this expansion goes forward."
Nevertheless, George Miller (D-CA) felt compelled to introduce legislation to close the loopholes that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was trying to exploit in the 1984 law.
And, apparently, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game still is having problems following the law on this score.
Statement by Tom Banks, Alaska Representative, Defenders of Wildlife - Regarding the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's illegal killing of 14 wolf pups in Game Management Unit 9
I'll spare you the full text this post is getting long enough. Click through though.
Finally, so you can get a feeling for exactly what this entails, here is a Defenders of Wildlife video on aeriel wolf hunting in Alaska:
So there you have it. Yet another example of the leadership qualities of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.
Haven't we had enough of administration that have to be taken to court to do the right thing?
I think she may not get the wolf vote.
(Yes, I realize that just about everything is sourced from one site/organization but it is easy to read and follow and also easily verified.)
Comments welcome,
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