Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Putting a price tag on where endangered species live

What is the economic cost for protecting a threatened or endangered species? For the first time, the federal government will provide an answer at the same time it designates the territory considered essential for the recovery of a plant or animal on the brink of extinction. The proposed policy shift could be significant because the designation of critical habitat sometimes leads to prolonged fights with local landowners and developers. Federal officials said the change would give the public a better understanding of the potential economic impacts upfront and may produce more exclusions of private and state land from such a designation. Texas officials said they support the Obama administration's plan, considering 29 species statewide are currently under review for possible listing as threatened or endangered. Once a plant or animal is listed, the Endangered Species Act requires the federal government to designate lands as critical habitat if they are "essential to the conservation of the species." "It never made sense to us to have the economic analysis done after the proposal," said Lauren Willis, a spokeswoman for Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, who leads a state task force that tracks the impacts of endangered species listings. "We want it as soon as possible." The proposal comes as some Central Texas officials are trying to prevent the listing of four species of salamanders, saying it would cripple development in a three-county region. Combs' task force estimates the listing would cost the local economy at least $6 million a year...more

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