Critical habitat is 86'd,

Of course species need habitat to recover -- that's a no-brainer,

It replaces critical habitat with political habitat,

They eliminated 82 percent of what they originally proposed for critical habitat,

We know that our bull trout use the upper portion of the watershed. It's critical habitat, and the higher these proposals reach into those headwaters, the greater the impact on a fish that's already on the brink of extinction.

Critical habitat can be the most effective tool for recovering endangered species, but this designation amounts to an extinction plan for the red-legged frog. Despite the fact that habitat destruction is the main reason for the frog's decline, the Bush Administration has excluded from today's decision much of the areas necessary for the long-term survival and recovery of the frog.