Bush Administration Peppered With Endangered Species Lawsuits

PORTLAND, Oregon, October “In the case of these six species, 2, 2008 (ENS) - The nonprofit the administration’s malfeasance Center for Biological Diversity resulted in the removal of protection today filed five separate lawsuits for over 300,000 acres of habitat in in federal court all charging the seven western states,” Greenwald Bush administration with political said. interference in designation of critical habitat for six western species that Greenwald gives as an example the are listed as endangered or threatened California tiger salamander, saying under the Endangered Species Act. that the administration excluded California tiger salamander (Photo by C. all of the 74,223 acres of critical Johnson courtesy USFWS) The species include two birds, habitat in Sonoma County that was the western snowy plover and the identifi ed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife seasonal lakes, wetlands and sloughs. southwestern willow flycatcher; Service scientists as “essential” to the Now most of the lakes and marshes a mammal, the Buena Vista Lake survival or recovery the species. have been drained and cultivated, shrew; an amphibian, the California endangering the small mammal. Yet, tiger salamander; and two California Critical habitat exclusions for the the Bush administration reduced plants, the Munz’s onion and the San other species ranged from 23 to 100 critical habitat for the shrew by 98 Jacinto Valley crownscale. percent of the acres identified as percent, from 4,565 to 84 acres. essential by scientists. The lawsuits are the latest action In 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife taken by the organization in its “The Bush administration has Service proposed fi ve areas, totaling campaign to undo politically tainted demonstrated a total disregard for 4,649 acres, as critical habitat for the decisions concerning dozens of the scientific conclusions of the shrew. endangered species. government’s own scientists,” said Greenwald. “This disregard places But four of the proposed units were The campaign began August 28, these six species and numerous excluded in the fi nal rule in favor of 2007 when the group fi led a notice of others at risk of extinction.” “voluntary” commitments made by intent to sue over decisions involving landowners to provide protections 55 endangered species in 28 states, Typical of today’s lawsuits is the one for the shrew. covering 8.7 million acres of critical fi led over habitat protection for the habitat. Buena Vista Lake shrew. “In each case, landowners have developed robust and reliable “The Bush administration has the The shrew’s historic range, the strategies to enhance the Buena worst record protecting endangered Tulare Basin in the southern San Vista Lake shrew,” said Steve species of any administration since Joaquin Valley, once supported Thompson, manager of California- passage of the landmark law,” said three large lakes interconnected by Nevada Operations for the Service. Noah Greenwald, science director for hundreds of square miles of tule “These agreements provide strong the Center for Biological Diversity. marshes and other permanent and commitments for actions that will help the species recover.” report resulted in the resignation of Mexican garter snake as an Julie MacDonald, a former deputy endangered species. “Cooperative actions, such as assistant secretary in the Department the City of Bakersfield’s revised of the Interior who left her post last Under the Bush administration, the Management Plan, do more to help year under a cloud of scandal. It was Service has repeatedly said that the species than a simple critical her decisions that led to some of the “the designation of critical habitat habitat designation,” Thompson allegations of political interference provides little additional protection said. “The Service believes this that have triggered these lawsuits to most listed species, while type of cooperative activity is more fi led today. preventing the Service from using effective in restoring threatened and scarce conservation resources for endangered species.” The Center’s previous efforts to activities with greater conservation reverse politically tainted decisions benefi ts.” Implementation of the Endangered have met with some success. Species Act by the Bush “In almost all cases,” the Service administration has been investigated In response to lawsuits filed by says, “recovery of listed species will by the Government Accountability the organization, the U.S. Fish and come through voluntary cooperative Office, which is the investigative Wildlife Service agreed to redo partnerships, not regulatory measures branch of Congress; by the House critical habitat designations for 15 such as critical habitat.” Natural Resources Committee; and species, including the California red- by the Department of Interior’s own legged frog, arroyo toad, vermillion But there are currently 281 candidate Inspector General. darter, Mississippi gopher frog, four species that are recognized as New Mexico invertebrates, and seven warranting protection but have yet plants from California, Oregon, and to be listed, and a host of critical The Inspector General’s 2007 North Carolina. habitat designations that the courts have found to be illegal because they The newly proposed critical habitat were not based on science. designation for the California red- legged frog alone totals approximately “The next administration is going to 1.8 million acres, four times the area have their work cut out for them to previously protected. correct the problems with endangered species management created by this In addition, the Fish and Wildlife administration,” said Greenwald. Buena Vista Lake shrew (Photo by B. Service has agreed to reconsider “The endangered species program Moose Peterson courtesy USFWS) listing the rare, highly imperiled needs a complete overhaul.”