Utah officials laud feds' decision to back off beetle listing

Utah officials are celebrating the Thursday decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to withdraw its proposal to list the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle under the Endangered Species Act. "That is outstanding news, and we appreciate that," said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab. "The Legislature thanks them for taking a look at it." The decision was reached after the federal agency worked with county, state and federal partners to expand an existing conservation agreement that it said will better protect the rare invertebrate’s habitat in Kanab. The conservation agreement — endorsed by the service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Department of Natural Resources and Kane County — expanded on the success of existing conservation measures to address all threats to the species until it no longer is considered threatened or endangered...more