The effort will facilitate research that could help protect these endangered species from going extinct– or at least leave a record of their genetic makeup behind. The first specimens to enter the collection will be blood samples from California’s endangered Channel Island fox. They will be followed by genetic material from the American crocodile and the Hawaiian goose.

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Closed to visitors since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, The Statue of Liberty’s crown may be reopening if the new Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, has anything to say about it.

After the National Park Service closed both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to visitors back in 2001, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and Liberty Island reopened just three months later. And with significant modifications to the pedestal and the addition of a screening process for visitors, access to the pedestal was re-opened in 2004. But the crown never reopened.

And in a visit to the site last week, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar expressed his sincere hope to change that as soon as possible.

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I’ve never really been one for making New Year’s resolutions. I have trouble being resolute about things because it gets in the way of my contingency. But that doesn’t mean other people shouldn’t make resolutions, nor does it mean they are necessarily void of any real utility. And Jeff Ruch, the Executive Director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) apparently thinks they can be useful as well. Ruch released a list of nine resolutions for the whistleblowing, watchdogging PEER for 2009.

Dear Tim,

In the New Year, PEER resolves to -

1. Free the political prisoners - not those in Guantanamo but the domestic whistleblowers who have suffered for speaking truth to perverse power. At the top of our list is returning Chief Teresa Chambers to the U.S. Park Police;

2. Protect scientists from political reprisal. We aim to enact new, tough whistleblower laws in ‘09 that include strong safeguards for scientists and their work. Along with new laws, we expect new, sane appointees administering these laws who have no reason to appear before grand juries;

3. Push for greenhouse gas regulations that work. Many of the global warming plans are more hot air than real curbs. PEER will provide EPA specialists charged with operating the system with a loud voice about what works and what doesn’t;

4. Make the Pentagon obey environmental laws. PEER will strive to return civilian oversight over out-of-control domestic military abuses;

5. Agitate for an effective federal response to off-road vehicle abuse. ORVs have become the top threat to American landscapes. The federal land management agencies need an effective enforcement and restoration strategy;

6. Follow the water. PEER programs to protect wetlands, curb prescription drug and other chemical contamination of drinking water and shield aquatic wildlife will all expand in ‘09;

7. End the use of infants, schoolchildren and other vulnerable populations for human subject experiments for pesticides and harmful chemicals. The gaping loopholes in the Bush human testing rules must be closed;

8. Focus land management agencies on their lands - not their minerals. From reviving a genuine park wilderness agenda to ceasing irresponsible energy leasing, PEER will use all the tools at our disposal; and

9. Provide a lifeline to public servants in crisis. When the moment of conflict between conscience and career arrives - who you gonna call?

Image: Paul Mannix via flickr under a Creative Commons License

Perhaps smarting over a judge’s recent decision to scratch the Bush administration’s plan to allow snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, now Bush has said, “Damn it! If I can’t snowmobile in Yellowstone, at least I want to go mountain biking!”

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