U.S. sued over toad habitat
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CONSERVATION and religious groups allege in a lawsuit that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to protect critical habitat for the Arroyo toad.
The service declared the amphibian endangered in 1994, but neglected to protect its habitat, according to the lawsuit the Center for Biological Diversity and Christians Caring for Creation filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Aug. 24.
In 2000, the service proposed protection for 478,000 acres of habitat following a lawsuit by conservationists, but reduced the area to 12,000 acres in April. It said private landowners would bear most of the costs to protect the toad, estimated at $1.4 billion over the next 20 years.
David Hogan with the Biological Diversity center says harm to developers was “wildly exaggerated” while economic benefits were ignored.
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-- Scott Doggett
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