Temporarily declares Dixie Valley toad endangered.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced last week that they have issued an emergency declaration to mark the Dixie Valley toad as an endangered species. This is only the second time in 20 years that the service has made an emergency declaration. This federal protection under the Endangered Species Act will last for 240 days and the comment period for the proposed rule upon submission to the Federal Register is 60 days.
The Dixie Valley toad lives exclusively in the state of Nevada, where a desert-locked geothermal marsh in the Great Basin has secluded them from the world. “Protecting small population species like this ensures the continued biodiversity necessary to maintain climate resilient landscapes in one of the driest states in the country,” FWS stated.
The move prevents a geothermal energy company from beginning to build near the area until the listing has received public comment for 60 days.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Director Martha Williams as she manages the Fish and Wildlife Service.
- For Secretary Haaland as she oversees the many agencies of the Interior.
- For wisdom for U.S. officials as they determine which species are in need of protection.
Sources: AP, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
