Environmentalists Sue US for Neglecting Endangered Species

A San Francisco environmental group filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity Wednesday, accusing the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior for the lack of protection of the California red-legged frog.

The suit states that the amount of “critical habitat” was drastically decreased allowing developers to build without having to obtain another permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service.  From 2001 to 2006, available habitat went from 4.1 million acres to 250,000.  The suit states that it was too much of a loss for the already threatened species to adjust.  According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, from the 1950’s to 2000, those species lost 70% of their homes. 

San Mateo County was taken off of the critical list.

Out of 241,000 acres in Alameda County, only 818 acres are possible remaining critical habitats.

The critical habitat in Contra Costa County only has about 0.005% of it’s original amount of critical habitat.

This suit is only one out of 13 nationwide concerning the status of up to 55 different endangered species.  Many fingers are being point to former Interior Department Deputy Assistant Secretary, Julie MacDonald.  She resigned when scientists and environmental groups accused her of changing reports in order to get animals off of the endangered list.  She is still being investigated.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service have stated they would reconsider the critical habitats for seven endangered species.