Feds to issue six ESA findings

August 12, 2013 | By BRIAN HODGES

As a result of a PLF lawsuit that wrapped up last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon begin to issue findings to determine if six species should be delisted or downlisted under the Endangered Species Act.  PLF attorneys, representing agriculture organizations in California and Oregon, filed a petition in 2011 to reclassify the Inyo California towhee, arroyo toad, Lane Mountain milk-vetch, Indian Knob mountain balm, Modoc sucker, and Santa Cruz cypress.  We based our petition on the Service’s own scientific reports, which recommended reclassification for each species.  The Service determined in 2012 that our petition presented substantial evidence showing that delisting or downlisting may be warranted for each species, but we filed suit when the Service failed to follow through on reclassification according to statutory deadlines.  A schedule is now in place, and we will let you know what the Service proposes to do with each finding that is released.