Environmental groups intervene in a demand that could affect the law of endangered species

A consortium of environmental defense groups wants Add to a list of defendants in a federal demand that could cancel much of the law of endangered species.

A landowner of Charlotte County filed the lawsuit after refusing to pay a rate for scrub construction Jay Habitat.

He affirms that the law of endangered species cannot protect any species found in a state because Congress only has the authority to promulgate laws that apply to the problems that cross the state borders. It could affect hundreds of species found in a single state, such as the Florida Panther.

Aaron Bloom is an environmental group lawyer Earth Justicewhich represents the defendants.

“The plaintiff’s argument in this case that it is really dangerous is that Congress cannot protect any species that lives in a single state, and that the law of endangered species would really gut,” he said. “More than half of the protected species under the law of endangered species live in a single state.”

Bloom said scrub Jay protections are crucial for the survival of the species.

“One thing that is special about the Florida Scrub Jay is that it is the only species of birds that is endemic to Florida. And one thing that is special about Florida is that it has these species of birds and other species that are not found anywhere else in the world, “he said.” But to keep those species close, you must protect them, and that is why we “get involved in this case.”

Courtesy of the Archbold Biological Station

Charlotte County developed his Scrub Jay Habitat Conservation Plan In 2014 to comply with the Federal Law of Endangered Species. It does not prevent people from being built in Scrub Jay Habitat, but it does require that people who choose to build there pay a rate, with money to buy protected land for rare birds.

The demand was filed by Michael Colosi after he refused to pay the rate after buying five acres in Scrub Jay Habitat. He demanded Charlotte county and the US fishing and life service, with Pacific Legal Foundation that represents it.

The groups that are presented to intervene as defendants are the Florida Wildlife Federation, Center for Biological Diversity, American Bird Conservation and Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida.

The Crub Florida Jay was officially classified as a state species threatened by Florida Fishing and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 1975 and was included as a federal species threatened by the Fishing and Wildlife Service of the United States In 1987.

It is estimated that only 4,000 to 6,000 are left in nature. They prefer high and dry areas that in the past have also been coveted for orange forests, and are now being sought for development.

You can find many of the remaining thicket jays in Oscar Scherer State Parknear Sarasota, and in Lake Wales Ridge, particularly in the Archbold Biological StationIn Highlands County.