Ok, so I probably should have gone and ready the actual ruling that listed polar bears as a threatened species, because it seems that the asswipes in Washington filled it so full of loopholes that it could actually make matters worse.

Here's what others are saying, and I'll have more on this subject tomorrow after I get my hands on the actual ruling (and a few hours sleep tonight):

The Sierra Club was among the first conservation groups to criticize the approach, with Executive Director Carl Pope saying it was "riddled with loopholes, caveats, and backhanded language that could actually undermine protections for the polar bear and other species."

"The administration's attempts to reduce protection to the polar bear from greenhouse gas emissions are illegal and won't hold up in court," added Kassie Siegel, climate program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, and lead author of the 2005 petition that first triggered the Interior Department to study a listing.

Clayton Jernigan, an attorney for Earthjustice, said Kempthorne made clear steps would be taken to avoid interfering with offshore oil development in waters where bears and oil drilling are expected to coexist.

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, was among those who felt Kempthorne was essentially forced to issue the listing, but at least acted so "that opportunities to continue to explore and drill in Alaska will not be impacted."

In February, the Interior Department sold oil and gas rights across some 29.7 million acres of the Chukchi Sea off the Alaskan coast — including prime polar bear habitat — for a record $2.66 billion.

Color me stupid for being so optimistic that the government would do the right thing. You'd think I would no better by now.

UPDATE: Ok, so I went ahead and searched for the actual ruling from the Interior Dept. and decided to share. You can download the semi-large pdf by clicking here.

UPDATE 2: I decided to go ahead and create a news page for the Latest News on the Polar Bear Protections as much to help myself keep up with everything being written, and for everyone else to use as well.

Hey, some good news for a change! I just got the following email from WWF telling me that the polar bear is now listed as a threatened species.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, which gives the bear important new protections. More than 16,000 WWF supporters spoke out for this icon of the North during the public comment period on the proposed listing. Thank you!

WWF also thanks the 22,000 activists who opposed the sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, within prime polar bear habitat. Unfortunately, despite an outpouring of public opposition, the Minerals Management Service recently opened nearly 30 million acres of the Chukchi Sea to oil and gas exploration. Because of the polar bear’s new threatened status, however, MMS will need to ensure that its actions do not jeopardize the polar bear’s continued existence.

The polar bear was listed due to the threat from climate change-induced loss of its sea ice habitat. Based on current ice models and projections for polar bear populations, experts believe that two-thirds of the world's polar bear population may be lost by 2050. While the Endangered Species Act listing is an important step forward, urgent additional action is needed by governments and societies to reduce our carbon footprint.

I have to admit, I'm slightly surprised. I assumed the folks at the Department of the Interior would bow to political pressure and decide to offer the polar bears no protection at all so the oil companies could get their hands on their habitat. Seems a little activism and vocal support can actually make a difference.