WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Barrasso , R-Wyo., wants to prohibit Washington from considering climate change when considering listing a species as threatened or endangered until an international climate change agreement is signed.

Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Polar Bear as a threatened species. It has been argued that any economic activity that emits greenhouse gases will result in the extinction of polar bears.

“The Endangered Species Act is not designed to deal with global climate change,” Barrasso said in his speech to the Senate. “If we are truly going to ‘recover’ species that are being impacted by climate change, China and India must be part of the solution.”

Barrasso’s bill instructs the Administrator of the EPA to certify that such an international agreement is in place. It also specifies that China and India are part of that agreement.

“Special interest groups argue that Americans are driving too much and using too much energy to heat our homes. Sure, we can provide cleaner cars and conserve energy, but there is a line of individual liberty and personal choice that we should not cross.”

“Lawsuits stemming from the listing of the polar bear could block new energy development and could force local governments to adopt burdensome new zoning requirements. Such a scenario could wreak havoc on Wyoming ’s economy.”

“The Endangered Species Act is being transformed from a tool to recover species into a climate change law. This not only short changes truly endangered species, it also impacts working families who are already struggling with high energy bills.”