Monday, June 29, 2009
Sam D. Hamilton
Whoever heads the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is expected not to be shy about using the Endangered Species Act (ESA) so that plants and animals aren’t threatened by development. But President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the environmental agency, Sam D. Hamilton, routinely avoided using the powerful federal law while heading up the agency’s regional operations in the Southeast, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
A 30-year veteran of FWS, Hamilton had “by far the weakest record on Endangered Species Act enforcement of any comparable official in the country” while overseeing the 10-state FWS Southeastern Region since 1997, says PEER. That area is considered to have the largest number of endangered species issues in the nation, and yet from 2004-2006, Hamilton’s office filed only one objection to a development plan. In comparison, the FWS Rocky Mountain Region during the same period issued 100 objections, even though it had fewer ESA issues overall.
“Under Sam Hamilton, the Endangered Species Act has become a dead letter,” said PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch.
In announcing the nomination, Obama praised Hamilton’s work in Louisiana and Florida, including efforts to help restore the Everglades.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Endangered Species Act Fell into Disuse Under Nominee (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility press release)
Obama's Fish & Wildlife Service Nominee Ignored Endangered Species Act (Environment News Service)
Sam D. Hamilton Official Biography (department of the Interior)
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