Subject: FW: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #115

Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #115

      ******* SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT #115 ***********
       *                    1/26/98                      *
        *                                               *
         *  SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY  *
          *                                           *
           *******************************************

1. MORE B.L.M. CATTLE EVICTED TO PROTECT ENDANGERED PYGMY OWL
2. COUNTY OKs REGIONAL PYGMY OWL CONSERVATION PLAN TO CONTROL GROWTH-
     AGENCIES, COUNTY, ENVIROS AGREE ON TUCSON'S FIRST PLANNING EFFORT
3. SUIT FILED TO STOP SPIELBERG FROM DESTROYING ENDANGERED WETLAND-
     SENATOR HAYDEN CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION- CALLS NEEDED TODAY!

    *****    *****   *****     ****

MORE B.L.M. CATTLE EVICTED TO PROTECT ENDANGERED PYGMY OWL
The BLM has announced it may remove cattle from up to nine Sonoran desert
grazing allotments northwest of Tucson in order to comply with the terms
of a 1997 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion. The Wildlife
Service declared that the endangered Cactus ferruginous pygmy owl would be
jeopardized by continued grazing if reductions were not put in place. This
is the second reduction to flow from the Biological Opinion- late last year,
the BLM began remove cattle from 15 additional allotments.

The Biological Opinion is the result of a 1995 suit against the BLM by the
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity over the impacts of grazing on 30
endangered species. In 1992, the Center petitioned to list the tiny owl as
endangered, following up with four lawsuits to get the species and its
habitat on the ESA list.
     ___________________________________

COUNTY OKs REGIONAL PYGMY OWL CONSERVATION PLAN TO CONTROL GROWTH-
AGENCIES, COUNTY, ENVIROS AGREE ON TUCSON'S FIRST PLANNING EFFORT
Tucson's pygmy owl crisis has spurred the Pima County Board of Supervisors
to approve work on a first ever regional conservation plan to control
growth and protect endangered species and open space. The supervisors voted
to mandate pygmy owl surveys on rezoning requests, and to begin working with
state, federal, and local agencies to develop a regional conservation plan.
They also expressed interest in improving county wash and native plant
protection ordinances.

Tucson environmentalists have been pushing for such a plan rather than a
"habitat conservation plan" which permits the killing and harrassing of
endangered species. With only 12 pygmy owls left in Arizona, there is no
excuse for taking any. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arizona
Daily Star and the Tucson Citizen all agree that it is time for a regional
planning effort. In a 1/26/97 editorial, the Citizen opined:

   "Pygmy owl protections measures...are a reasonable first step to
   preserve the owls' dwinding habitat...Developers are understandably
   displeased with the move, because it will add to the cost of developing
   property. But property ownership does not include an inherent right to
   turn a profit by rezoning and developing it at higher density...The
   supervisors also want to tighten county wash, grading and native plant
   ordinances. If that had been done long ago, the county might not be facing
   the current dilemma of how to protect an endangered species...the need to
   protect endangered species is apparent to most people. Species are dying
   out at an alarming rate throughout the world, a disturbing sign that
   people must do more to protect the environment."
     ______________________________

SUIT FILED TO STOP SPIELBERG FROM DESTROYING ENDANGERED WETLAND-
SENATOR HAYDEN CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION- CALLS NEEDED TODAY!
On 1/26/97, the Wetlands Action Network, the Southwest Center and
CALPIRG filed suit to stop Steven Spielberg and friends from building a
massive development called "DreamWorks' Playa Vista" on one of Los Angeles'
last remaining wetlands. The suit charges the developers with illegally
killing and harrasing endangered species, and the Army Corps of Engineers
with failing to consult over the impact of the development to 10
threatened and endangered species.

At a press conference on a bluff overlooking Ballona Wetlands, California
Senator Tom Hayden condemned the Army Corps for approving the destruction
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for not stopping it. Senator Hayden
chairs the California Senate Natural Resources Committee.

After being informed that the suit would be filed, the developers bull-
dozed a willow grove where their own consultants located an endangered
Southwestern willow flycatcher. Other threatened species included in the
suit include: California brown pelican, American peregrine falcon, Least
Bell's vireo, California least tern, Light-footed clapper rail, San
Diego fairy shrimp, Riverside fairy shrimp, and Western snowy plover.

The environmental coalition is represented by: Sharon E. Duggan, Law Offices
of Sharon E. Duggan; Tara L. Mueller, Environmental Law Foundation; and
David H. Williams, Public Interest Lawyers Group.

    CALL STEVEN SPIELBERG'S SECRETARY TODAY! 818-733-9760
    TELL HIM TO STOP NOW DOZERS NOW BEFORE HE CREATED ANOTHER LOST WORLD.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Kieran Suckling                               ksuckling@sw-center.org
Executive Director                            520.623.5252 phone
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity     520.623.9797 fax
http://www.sw-center.org                      pob 710, tucson, az 85702-710