Making good on a longstanding pledge to investigate the role of political interference in scientific decisions about endangered species protection, Representative Nick J. Rahall II (D-WV) will lead a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee into recent Interior Department actions next Wednesday, May 9th.

The full committee hearing, titled "Endangered Species Act Implementation:  Science or Politics?" will include testimony from Interior Department officials as well as experts from the Union of Concerned Scientists and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.  Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald, who resigned Monday night in the face of heavy criticism for her role in manipulating Fish and Wildlife Service decisions to deny protection to endangered wildlife species, will not testify.

The full committe hearing will be held at 10 A.M. EST in the Longworth House Office Building, Room 1324.  It will also be webcast live at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov

In the Senate, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is refusing to advance the nomination process for the lead candidate for the post of Assitant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks until reforms are made in the Interior Department to prevent future cases of political interference like those perpetrated by MacDonald.  Senator Wyden said in a statement that MacDonald's resignation "removes her from the equation, but not the atmosphere that allowed her to operate as she did for so long."  Until that atmosphere is addressed by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and others, Senator Wyden said, he would continue to place a hold on the nomination of Lyle Laverty, former Colorado state parks director, for the Interior position.

Laverty is scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May10th.  Under Senator Wyden's hold, the committee can proceed with its scheduled hearing, but no Senate floor action may be taken.