Re: [Texascavers] More on Federal reconsideration of 12 endangered Texas cave species :

[Don Arburn]

Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time, and annoys the  
pig.


Happy Holidays!


Don's iPhone.

On Dec 25, 2009, at 8:27 PM, Don Cooper  wrote:

Man - on the first article Jerry posted, there were several  
'comments' from the general public about the new story...
Is the 'rest of Texas' really so eaten up with ignorance,  
intolerance and thinly veiled racism!?!?
I found it hard to believe that nearly every response to the story  
was crap like "Obamination.." and "if stupid hippies get their way"...
I guess it's up to the "enlightened" to educate - but how do you  
teach 'Bubba' the importance of land stewardship.

How do you teach a pig to play a piano?

-WaV

On Fri, Dec 25, 2009 at 12:51 AM,  wrote:
Note:  The following has an obvious political message but the  
details of the Federal decision are there.


Reversing Bush Political Corruption, Feds Agree to Increase Critical  
Habitat Protection

for 12 Texas Endangered Species

AUSTIN, Texas— In response to a lawsuit from the Center for Biologic 
al Diversity, Citizen’s Alliance for Smart Expansion, and Aquifer Gu 
ardians in Urban Areas, the Obama administration agreed late Friday  
to reconsider critical habitat designation for 12 endangered Texas i 
nvertebrates, including three species from Comal Springs and nine sp 
ecies from caves in Bexar County. With colorful names like the robbe 
r baron Cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, and Comal Springs riffl 
e beetle, these 12 species are immediately threatened by excessive w 
ater withdrawal and urban sprawl.
Today’s announcement reverses previous critical habitats, designated 
 by the Bush administration, that failed to include areas deemed by  
scientists to be essential to the survival of the 12 species.


“Consistent with their efforts to minimize protection for the nation 
’s endangered species, the Bush administration shortchanged these 12 
 Texas species,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program dir 
ector for the Center for Biological Diversity. “These 12 rare and un 
ique species need increased critical habitat protections if they are 
 going to have any chance at survival.”


For the three Comal Springs species, the Bush administration ignored  
the advice of expert peer reviewers and only included the small area  
around the springs themselves, even though the primary threat to the  
species is groundwater pumping from the larger Edwards Aquifer. For  
the nine Bexar County cave species, the administration slashed  
critical habitats proposed by the agency’s own scientists by 82 to 1 
00 percent, leaving them vulnerable to sprawl from San Antonio.
“Ignoring science was the name of the game for the Bush administrati 
on,” said Bill Bunch, attorney on the case and executive director of 
 the Save Our Springs Alliance. “We trust the Obama administration w 
ill give science its due and dramatically increase the area of prote 
cted critical habitat for these species.”
The Center for Biological Diversity has been actively working to  
overturn Bush-era decisions limiting protection for endangered  
species, including suing to overturn decisions affecting 55 species.  
To date, this campaign has been highly successful, with the Obama  
administration agreeing to reconsider 45 of the 54 decisions,  
including the 12 Texas species today.


Background on the Species:
Peck’s Cave amphipod, Comal Springs dryopid beetle, and Comal Spring 
s riffle beetle. These three Texas invertebrates occur in only four  
springs where they are threatened by ground water pumping in the Edw 
ards Aquifer. After Fish and Wildlife Service scientists drafted a p 
roposed rule that included subterranean waters in the aquifer, Deput 
y Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald ordered that only the small ar 
eas around the springs be designated despite the fact that threats a 
re to the aquifer and not the springs.


Robber baron cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, Government Canyon  
cave spider, Madla’s cave spider, robber baron cave spider, and helo 
tes mold beetle, Cicurina venii, Rhadine exilis, Cokendolpher cave h 
arvestman. These nine karst-dwelling species all occur in one or mor 
e caves of Bexar County, Texas, and are threatened by rapid urban sp 
rawl in and around San Antonio. Critical habitat had been reduced fo 
r these species from between 82 to 100 percent, with a total of more 
 than 15,000 acres removed from protection.


http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/texas-invertebrates-12-21-2009.html

Re: [Texascavers] More on Federal reconsideration of 12 endangered Texas cave species :

[Don Cooper]

Man - on the first article Jerry posted, there were several 'comments' from
the general public about the new story...
Is the 'rest of Texas' really so eaten up with ignorance, intolerance and
thinly veiled racism!?!?
I found it hard to believe that nearly every response to the story was crap
like "Obamination.." and "if stupid hippies get their way"...
I guess it's up to the "enlightened" to educate - but how do you teach
'Bubba' the importance of land stewardship.
How do you teach a pig to play a piano?

-WaV

On Fri, Dec 25, 2009 at 12:51 AM,  wrote:

> *Note:  The following has an obvious political message but the details of
> the Federal decision are there.*
> **
> *Reversing Bush Political Corruption, Feds Agree to Increase Critical
> Habitat Protection
> for 12 Texas Endangered Species*
>
> AUSTIN, *Texas*— In response to a lawsuit from the Center for Biological
> Diversity, Citizen’s Alliance for Smart Expansion, and Aquifer Guardians in
> Urban Areas, the Obama administration 
> agreedlate
>  Friday to reconsider critical habitat designation for 12 endangered
> Texas invertebrates, including three species from Comal Springs and nine
> species from caves in Bexar County. With colorful names like the robber
> baron Cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, and Comal Springs riffle beetle,
> these 12 species are immediately threatened by excessive water withdrawal
> and urban sprawl.
> Today’s announcement reverses previous critical habitats, designated by the
> Bush administration, that failed to include areas deemed by scientists to be
> essential to the survival of the 12 species.
>
> “Consistent with their efforts to minimize protection for the nation’s
> endangered species, the Bush administration shortchanged these 12 Texas
> species,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program director for the
> Center for Biological Diversity. “These 12 rare and unique species need
> increased critical habitat protections if they are going to have any chance
> at survival.”
>
> For the three Comal Springs species, the Bush administration ignored the
> advice of expert peer reviewers and only included the small area around the
> springs themselves, even though the primary threat to the species is
> groundwater pumping from the larger Edwards Aquifer. For the nine Bexar
> County cave species, the administration slashed critical habitats proposed
> by the agency’s own scientists by 82 to 100 percent, leaving them vulnerable
> to sprawl from San Antonio.
> “Ignoring science was the name of the game for the Bush administration,”
> said Bill Bunch, attorney on the case and executive director of the Save Our
> Springs Alliance. “We trust the Obama administration will give science its
> due and dramatically increase the area of protected critical habitat for
> these species.”
> The Center for Biological Diversity has been actively working to overturn
> Bush-era decisions limiting protection for endangered species, including
> suing to overturn decisions affecting 55 
> species.
> To date, this campaign has been highly successful, with the Obama
> administration agreeing to reconsider 45 of the 54 decisions, including the
> 12 Texas species today.
>
> *Background on the Species: *
> *Peck’s Cave amphipod, Comal Springs dryopid beetle, and Comal Springs
> riffle beetle. *These three Texas invertebrates occur in only four springs
> where they are threatened by ground water pumping in the Edwards Aquifer.
> After Fish and Wildlife Service scientists drafted a proposed rule that
> included subterranean waters in the aquifer, Deputy Assistant Secretary
> Julie MacDonald ordered that only the small areas around the springs be
> designated despite the fact that threats are to the aquifer and not the
> springs.
>
> *Robber baron cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, Government Canyon cave
> spider, Madla’s cave spider, robber baron cave spider, and helotes mold
> beetle, Cicurina venii, Rhadine exilis, Cokendolpher cave harvestman.*These 
> nine karst-dwelling species all occur in one or more caves of Bexar
> County, Texas, and are threatened by rapid urban sprawl in and around San
> Antonio. Critical habitat had been reduced for these species from between 82
> to 100 percent, with a total of more than 15,000 acres removed from
> protection.
>
>
> http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/texas-invertebrates-12-21-2009.html
>

[Texascavers] More on Federal reconsideration of 12 endangered Texas cave species :

[jerryatkin]

Note:  The following has an obvious political message but the details of the 
Federal decision are there.

Reversing Bush Political Corruption, Feds Agree to Increase Critical Habitat 
Protection 
for 12 Texas Endangered Species

AUSTIN, Texas— In response to a lawsuit from the Center for Biological 
Diversity, Citizen’s Alliance for Smart Expansion, and Aquifer Guardians in 
Urban Areas, the Obama administration agreed late Friday to reconsider critical 
habitat designation for 12 endangered Texas invertebrates, including three 
species from Comal Springs and nine species from caves in Bexar County. With 
colorful names like the robber baron Cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, and 
Comal Springs riffle beetle, these 12 species are immediately threatened by 
excessive water withdrawal and urban sprawl. 
Today’s announcement reverses previous critical habitats, designated by the 
Bush administration, that failed to include areas deemed by scientists to be 
essential to the survival of the 12 species. 

“Consistent with their efforts to minimize protection for the nation’s 
endangered species, the Bush administration shortchanged these 12 Texas 
species,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program director for the 
Center for Biological Diversity. “These 12 rare and unique species need 
increased critical habitat protections if they are going to have any chance at 
survival.”

For the three Comal Springs species, the Bush administration ignored the advice 
of expert peer reviewers and only included the small area around the springs 
themselves, even though the primary threat to the species is groundwater 
pumping from the larger Edwards Aquifer. For the nine Bexar County cave 
species, the administration slashed critical habitats proposed by the agency’s 
own scientists by 82 to 100 percent, leaving them vulnerable to sprawl from San 
Antonio. 
“Ignoring science was the name of the game for the Bush administration,” said 
Bill Bunch, attorney on the case and executive director of the Save Our Springs 
Alliance. “We trust the Obama administration will give science its due and 
dramatically increase the area of protected critical habitat for these 
species.”  
The Center for Biological Diversity has been actively working to overturn 
Bush-era decisions limiting protection for endangered species, including suing 
to overturn decisions affecting 55 species. To date, this campaign has been 
highly successful, with the Obama administration agreeing to reconsider 45 of 
the 54 decisions, including the 12 Texas species today. 

Background on the Species: 
Peck’s Cave amphipod, Comal Springs dryopid beetle, and Comal Springs riffle 
beetle. These three Texas invertebrates occur in only four springs where they 
are threatened by ground water pumping in the Edwards Aquifer. After Fish and 
Wildlife Service scientists drafted a proposed rule that included subterranean 
waters in the aquifer, Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald ordered that 
only the small areas around the springs be designated despite the fact that 
threats are to the aquifer and not the springs. 

Robber baron cave harvestman, vesper cave spider, Government Canyon cave 
spider, Madla’s cave spider, robber baron cave spider, and helotes mold beetle, 
Cicurina venii, Rhadine exilis, Cokendolpher cave harvestman. These nine 
karst-dwelling species all occur in one or more caves of Bexar County, Texas, 
and are threatened by rapid urban sprawl in and around San Antonio. Critical 
habitat had been reduced for these species from between 82 to 100 percent, with 
a total of more than 15,000 acres removed from protection. 

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2009/texas-invertebrates-12-21-2009.html