Subject: FW: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #59

Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #59

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           SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT #59
                                            3/25/97          

         SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
                       silver city, tucson, phoenix, san diego
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1. JUDGE ORDERS ESA PROTECTION FOR FIVE SPECIES-
   1,000 MILES OF RIPARIAN AREAS AND WETLANDS IN CA, AZ, AND NM
   TO BE PROTECTED

2. SENATOR McCAIN WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR NAFTA IF HE KNEW IT
   INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR U.S. RIVERS

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JUDGE ORDERS ESA PROTECTION FOR FIVE SPECIES-
1,000 MILES OF RIPARIAN AREAS AND WETLANDS IN CA, AZ, AND NM TO
BE PROTECTED

In a historic ruling to protect riparian areas and rivers in CA, AZ,
and NM, a Federal Judge has ruled in favor of four simultaneous
lawsuits by the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity. On
March 19, 1996, Judge Roger Strand ordered to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to list the Jaguar as an endangered species
within 120 days, and to designate critical habitat for the
Southwestern willow flycatcher, Cactus Ferruginous pygmy owl,
Huachuca water umbel, and Sonoran tiger salamander. 

The SW Center expects about 1,000 miles of rivers and wetlands to be
protected as critical habitat, including large portions of the
Colorado, Rio Grande, Gila, San Francisco, Verde, San Pedro, Santa
Cruz, Salt, Santa Margarita, and San Louis Rey rivers.

The Center was represented in all four suits by Matt Kenna and
Geoff Hickcox of Kenna & Associates.


SENATOR McCAIN WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR NAFTA IF HE KNEW IT INCLUDED
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR AMERICAN RIVERS

Commenting on Southwest Center petitions under NAFTA for
international review of the destruction of the San Pedro River by
the Army's Fort Huachuca, Senator John McCain expressed dismay that
NAFTA's environmental stipulations could be used to protect rivers
in America: "If I knew they would use NAFTA for that, I wouldn't
have voted for the damn thing," McCain told the Sierra Vista Herald.

Represented by Earth Law, the Southwest Center has petitioned NAFTA's
Secretariet on the Environment to investigate Fort Huachuca's
violations of American environmental laws, and the general impacts of
development and mining on the San Pedro river which flows northward
from Mexico into the Gila River in the U.S.

_______________________________________________________________________________
Kieran Suckling                                       ksuckling@sw-center.org
Executive Director                                    phone:  520-733-1391
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity        fax:    520-733-1404
POB 17839, Tucson, AZ 85731
www.envirolink.org/orgs/sw-center