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APRIL 13, 2001

At a speech in Washington, DC, yesterday, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton defended a request to limit the effects of endangered species lawsuits on her department.

Norton said the department is spending too much money fighting the lawsuits. US Fish and Wildlife implemented a moratorium on listings under the Endangered Species Act due to litigation.

In response, the Bush administration has asked Congress to limit for one year money spent on court orders for the suits.

Environmentalists claim this is tantamount to Norton playing God and without their suits, various species would be obliterated.

Funding for endangered species programs at the Interior has been cut by $9.1 million.

Watch Norton's Speech:
Tech Central Speech Archive

Get the Story:
Norton: Lawsuits drain budget, stifle science (The Denver Post 4/13)
Norton says lawyers eating up endangered species costs (AP 4/12)

Related Stories:
DOI Budget: Norton gets more power (4/12)