Conservationists Threaten To Sue Again If Nevada Flower Is Harmed By Mine

Conservationists who won a court order against US wildlife officials say they’ll sue them again for failing to protect a Nevada wildflower whose last remaining habitat could be destroyed by a lithium mine, Scott Sonner reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: The Tiehm buckwheat

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a formal 60-day notice this week of its intent to sue the US Fish and Wildlife Service for missing this month’s deadline to finalize its year-old proposal to add Tiehm’s buckwheat to the list of endangered species.

The service concluded in its Oct. 7, 2021, proposal that the desert wildflower — which is only known to exist where the mine is planned halfway between Reno and Las Vegas — was in danger of going extinct.

Under federal law, the agency had one year to issue a final rule listing the 6-inch-tall (15-centimeter-tall) flower with yellow blooms, or explain why it had decided against taking such action.

“Tiehm’s buckwheat is staring down the barrel of extinction and it can’t wait one more day for Endangered Species Act protection,” said Patrick Donnelly, the center’s Great Basin director.

“The service is dragging its feet on protecting this rare wildflower and apparently needs the threat of legal action to do its job,” he said.

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