State Pushes Back Against Federal Monk Seal Protections

Flickr: USFWS Pacific

A proposal to expand federal protections for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal is facing major push back from the state.

In documents filed with the federal government, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources says that plans to designate large swaths of the state’s coastlines as critical habitat for the mammals would create an unnecessary layer of bureaucratic red tape and do little if anything to promote the species’ survival.

The stance puts DLNR at odds with environmental groups that have pushed for the designation, arguing it’s a critical step for a seal population that is heading toward extinction.

And it leaves the federal officials in charge of making a final determination on the proposed rule walking a legal tight rope. If the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration bows to state pressure to significantly amend or discard the designation, it could be sued by environmental groups who have not hesitated to use the courts elsewhere to win protection under the Endangered Species Act.

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