From Deseret News archives:
Endangered Utah flower gets its very own lawsuit
The target is not a militiaman or a polygamist, or any of the other usual controversial figures that frequent rural Utah. It's a shrubby, endangered flower with a strange name, the Deseret milk-vetch.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. by the Utah Native Plant Society, the Center for Native Ecosystems and Forest Guardians. The suit requests that the Department of the Interior make the Utah Fish and Wildlife Service designate a critical habitat to protect the flower and develop a recovery plan to help it proliferate.
"What's basically prompting this lawsuit is that no recovery plan has been adopted and we're basically running out of time," said Tony Frates, of the Utah Native Plant Society.
The Deseret milk-vetch, or Astragalus desereticus, is known to grow in only one place in the world, an area of slightly less than 300 acres near U.S. 89 between Birdseye and Thistle. The groups who filed the lawsuit say urban sprawl in the area and the possible expansion of the highway pose a critical threat to the survival of the species and action must be taken.
"It's all just potential," said Larry England, a botanist for the agency. "Our concern for this species has been superseded by concerns for other species that are in greater danger. We do not see a great urgency (in this case)."
When the Deseret milk-vetch was placed on the endangered list in 1999, England said wildlife services decided not to designate the area as a critical habitat for the flower (as the lawsuit requests) because doing so would offer no real additional protection.
"When the flower was listed, we considered a critical habitat was not necessary for the conservation of the species," he said. "We're working on a recovery plan for the flower, and we'd like to have it done sooner than later."
Frates said he doesn't believe the agency has been criminally negligent in its treatment of the flower, but it should have done a better job by establishing a critical habitat.
"(The Deseret milk-vetch) has definitely suffered some neglect, but it's not willful or wanton neglect," he said.
Comments
- Recent prosecutions for Demjanjuk 7:10 p.m.
- German trial is twist for Demjanjuk 7:10 p.m.
- Blood-pressure meds help sugar? 7:09 p.m.
- Magic get 6th straight road win 7:04 p.m.
- UNC's Williams gets 600th win 7:02 p.m.
- BCS stable at top, Y. up to 14 6:42 p.m.
- Peterson: Woods in tough spot 6:38 p.m.
- Passengers evacuated from plane 6:36 p.m.
- Dunleavy gets 600th win 6:35 p.m.
- Alabama upsets Michigan 6:27 p.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Fantasy is reality for BYU professor
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
769 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
468 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - BYU is champion of the state
129 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
79 - Y. focused on 10-win season
74
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
The cougars rock Good luck your last game
Grow some skin people! Sticks and Stones! I have to admit its a great way for...
To the Mother and Wife of Max Hall: I am sorry for any enbarrassment your...
Max, ignore all of these posts that are small minded and name calling. 1....
Max, what a great example you set... *dripping with sarcasm*
Meh. I don't care what Max Hall thinks about me. His comments and the...
Where have we gotten as society where we have so much hate. Being a life long...
It's my opinion that TCU would beat Florida, Alabama and/or Texas. They have...
Thank you Max for four great years. Now onto one more win.
I find the overwhelming number of comments left above laughable. Some of the...




You can be the first to comment on this story.