Three years after the Fish and Wildlife Services was asked to review the situation of the polar bears, and one federal deadline later, the Interior Department finally did something that should have been done a long time ago: list the polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The decision was announced on Wednesday, when the agency was forced to meet the deadline set at the end of April.

The Fish and Wildlife Service took all the time in the world to make a decision, repeatedly failing to meet deadlines, and apparently ignoring all requests to do something before it is too late. This is why organizations such as the Center for Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace decided to take the matter to court.

Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, explained earlier this year that they were struggling with the papers and emphasized how important it is to take time in making a decision, and most of all, “making it clear and why.” However, while the agency was taking all the time in the world, the situation of the polar bears got worse.

Upon making the announcement that the polar bear had made it to the endangered species list, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne drew attention that he won’t allow this decision to become an instrument for activist groups to force the adoption of greenhouse emission regulations for automobiles, power plants or any other sources in a similar manner.

Although a reason of joy for environmental organizations, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said this has been not only a difficult decision, but the only decision he could make, in the light of an “inflexible” law. However, he did acknowledge that the polar bears are exposed to a vulnerable habitat, and given the actual situation in the Arctic, polar bears are likely to become endangered within the next 45 years.