Group Sues Feds Over Endangered Species Protection

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An environmental group is suing the federal government, saying the Obama administration has failed to address a backlog of animals and plants that need to be considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

WildEarth Guardians said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has failed to carry out his duties under the act and that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has failed to act on a petition seeking protection for two rare plants, a jackrabbit and a salamander found in the Southwest.

The species are among 13 that WildEarth Guardians sought protection for with a series of petitions filed last fall.

The Obama administration has issued only two findings under the Endangered Species Act despite a backlog of more than 300 species that are candidates for protection, said Nicole Rosmarino, the organization's wildlife program director.

"We would like to see them shift gears," she said. "Maybe they're just late coming out of the gate, but the ones that pay the price for a delay are these species that are on the brink. They don't have the luxury of time."

The Interior Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service cited policy in declining to comment on the pending litigation.

WildEarth Guardians petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service in October to designate the 13 species as endangered or threatened and to set aside critical habitat. The petitions were filed as part of the group's "Western Ark" project, which aims to call attention to the many species that need protection.

The group contends that nearly all the species listed in the petitions, including the four at the center of Wednesday's lawsuit, face a common threat of climate change. The species also are either restricted to small areas or have extremely small populations.

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The species at the center the lawsuit are the white-sided jackrabbit, the Jemez Mountains salamander, Wright's marsh thistle and the Chihuahua scurfpea.

One of the two populations of white-sided jackrabbits in New Mexico has disappeared and the other's numbers have declined dramatically since the 1970s.

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On the Net:

Department of Interior: http://www.doi.gov/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/

WildEarth Guardians: http://www.wildearthguardians.org/

Comments

[afgail]

You have to think strategically. Nobody thought Salazar was going to undo all of Bush's bad environmental policies in the first 100 days. The lawsuits are a tactic. The lawsuits force the issue of endangered species to the front burner at Interior.

[JohnnyRocco]

it's always funny to watch liberals suing liberals for not being liberal enough

[frantaylor]

What is so "liberal" about conserving the country?

Conservatives used to be environmentalists. Look it up.

It's only when the fell in with the business interests that they went anti-environment.

[JohnnyRocco]

"Conservatives used to be environmentalists. Look it up."

When?

[Jack1812]

They can wait a few more weeks... Unless the salamanders and rabbits are killing each other off at a rapid rate and we need to intervene militarily (ok so I poked a bit too much fun at this group, but honestly, did you really need to sue over this?)
I think his attention is on the disastrous decision to de-list the Grey Wolves in Montana and Idaho and the outcry that has created from multiple wildlife groups such as the NRDC. Another GW hold over policy. Probably the former VPs personal pet project... Gotta hunt somth'n other than close associates...

[Smittynoexecutions]

Yeah for Wildearth Guardians. We have to stay in the face of Salazar et al in order to protect wildlife via calls, petitions, research, and lawsuits. We have to pressure our legislators in the community, the state and federally to take this seriously. Extinction is forever and we have only one shot at stopping it. Many of these species are "canaries in the coalmines" that lets us know our water is unpotable, our air unbreathable, our soil not healthy and the ecosystems failing all the way up and down the food chain.

Stay active and support the organizations that are suing, studying, reporting and protecting.

[JnrNorman]

Salazar trying to add species is like asking Tom Vilsack to outlaw GMO seeds.
All of Obama's admin doesnt want to do their job title;
Napolitano OPEN BORDERS COMPRHENSIVE IMIGRATION ADVOCATE
Gates BUSH HOLDOVER "WORLD POLICEMAN ADVOCATE"
it goes on an on.


Coal Plants fear DECENTRALIZED POWER
http://www.lipower.org/newscenter/pr/2006/FuelCellGraph1.pdf

[quidam56]

When the wildlife begins to die off, humans will follow. Our water is poisoned and full of disease, Global Warming is real. Wake UP ! End Mountaintop Removal

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

Appalachia can't stand anymore of the progress and prosperity.

[StanlyManly]

I don't understand how some people can keep persuing such paradoxical and igorant agendas about animal populations. You want to save the polar bears and the seals. But polar bears eat seals. You want to save the elephants and the lions. But lions and elephants kill eachother too. You want to save birds but put in massive bird killing turbines right in their migratory paths.

Make up your minds.

[DMEEPhD]

It is patently obvious that you understand nothing about ecology or the harm that our unchecked intervention into it has caused. Comparing natural predator-prey interactions to our impact on those animal populations is idiotic at best and seriously ambivalent at worst.

[Spiritof1982]

You are one of the most breathtaking displays of ignorance I've ever encountered.

[doodlebug2]

The Audobon society already claims that turbines do not harm that many birds. It is in the long run better than coal fired damage (mining , acid rain).

[liminal67]

Really sad story..

http://pitchbendpost.blogspot.com/

[newshawk14]

So far, I've been more impressed with secretary Salazar than I expected to be, that environmental
problems have not been addressed as rapidly as we might want, I can understand given the
monumental economic problems left to President Obama by the Bush admistration. It's one huge
steaming pile that needs the major attention of the administration. As soon as that is fixed let's
get back to worrying about spotted owl populations and the world wide decline in frogs and toads.
It is sad that many of the toads have taken to embracing republican ideology.

[Sumocat]

Dammit, Salazar! You've been on the job almost three months now, attempting to remedy eight years of neglect, and you still haven't cleared up the backlog? I mean, sure, your predecessor didn't do anything for two years (and the one before now works in shale oil), leaving you with a big pile of work, but you need to get cracking, cowboy.

[dengal]

indeed! he's barely moved into the office and hasnt caught up on 8 years of neglect
giddy up

[NWBrunette]

That's right. We've got all these ultra-wealthy incompetent CEOs to hurl tons of taxpayer money at with no oversight. No time to worry about species extinction.

[patianneb]

If we don't protect the earth and its wildlife, there will be no point in "protecting" us. We won't be here.