MOWGLI
08-08-2004, 07:46
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 - The Interior Department confirmed Friday that Gary Frazer, its senior career official in the Endangered Species Office, which has produced several scientific findings angering his political superiors in the Fish and Wildlife Service, was reassigned last week to a newly created post as his division's liaison to the United States Geological Survey.
Tina Kreisher, the spokeswoman for the Interior Department, read a prepared statement saying that Mr. Frazer's new post was created as part of the commitment of the service's director, Steven A. Williams, "to strengthening the service's science capability."
The reassignment, which was made official in late July, was seen by environmental groups as a loss for the biologists and other scientists whose reviews of the status of endangered species and their habitat needs had been supported by Mr. Frazer, sometimes in the face of industry criticism.
Mr. Frazer did not reply to two messages left on his cellphone Friday afternoon.
Before taking the job of assistant director of the service in charge of the endangered species program, Mr. Frazer was field supervisor of his agency's Ecological Services field office in Columbia, Mo.
Ms. Kreisher said it was not clear when Mr. Frazer would take his new post.
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If any of you are wondering why this thread is posted here on Whiteblaze, recent studies have indicated that the Appalachian National Scenic Trail has more rare & threatened species of plants and animals than any other unit of the National Park Service.
Tina Kreisher, the spokeswoman for the Interior Department, read a prepared statement saying that Mr. Frazer's new post was created as part of the commitment of the service's director, Steven A. Williams, "to strengthening the service's science capability."
The reassignment, which was made official in late July, was seen by environmental groups as a loss for the biologists and other scientists whose reviews of the status of endangered species and their habitat needs had been supported by Mr. Frazer, sometimes in the face of industry criticism.
Mr. Frazer did not reply to two messages left on his cellphone Friday afternoon.
Before taking the job of assistant director of the service in charge of the endangered species program, Mr. Frazer was field supervisor of his agency's Ecological Services field office in Columbia, Mo.
Ms. Kreisher said it was not clear when Mr. Frazer would take his new post.
###
If any of you are wondering why this thread is posted here on Whiteblaze, recent studies have indicated that the Appalachian National Scenic Trail has more rare & threatened species of plants and animals than any other unit of the National Park Service.