Texas county residents opposed endangered feces act finding

Austin American Statesman:

Williamson County residents and officials grilled U.S. Fish and Wildlife representatives Wednesday over a proposed listing of four Central Texas salamanders as endangered species during a public hearing that drew 450 people.

The audience offered pointed questions: Is this the best use of taxpayer money? How can you tell the difference between the species? How many times has the service listed species in error? Do you even live in the area?

"I told you the response you could expect, and I think you're seeing the response from this community," U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, told Fish and Wildlife officials.

The two sides each cite studies to make their case for or against the listing of the Austin blind, Salado, Georgetown and Jollyville Plateau salamanders.

The federal government argues that degraded water quality and disturbed spring sites threaten the salamanders. Williamson County officials, who fear a listing would hamper development, tout their own studies showing that the water quality at nine springs is good.

The county's conservation foundation has already spent $900,000 on multiple studies to prevent the salamanders from being protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Biologists Kemble White and Steve Carothers, said SWCA Environmental Consultants, a group studying salamanders for the foundation, has taken water and sediment samples to the Lower Colorado River Authority's laboratories for analysis. Those samples have all come back completely clean, the scientists said.

White said much of the data Fish and Wildlife used is based on studies of springs near older developments in Travis County without the water quality controls now required in Williamson County.

Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman, who heads the conservation foundation, said the data show the county needs time to finish its studies.

Fish and Wildlife worked with the county to create a regional habitat conservation plan aimed at protecting species locally. That plan includes a five-year study on the species by the county that is now only in its second year.

"This is not the process you promised," Birkman said, echoing signs carried by many attendees reading "Let us finish."

The service was forced to make a decision on whether to list more than 250 candidate species, including the salamanders, as part of a settlement with environmental groups.
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I strongly question settlement agreements like this by the Obama administration.  They are so tied at the hip with environmental wackos that it appears they make settlements against the public interest in order to push their own anti development agenda.  Williamson County has been area areas of rapid growth in recent years as it absorbs growth from the Austin area and Dell Manufacturing.

I think someone should investigate the collusion between the administration and the environmental groups pushing this salamander nonsense.