Free Republic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The snail darter, a tiny fish that notoriously blocked a federal dam project in Tennessee decades ago, should no longer be on the endangered species list, federal officials announced on Tuesday. Arguing that the fish is no longer in danger of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has begun the process to delist the species, a move backed by the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group that has favored lifting protections for the fish since 2019. “Thanks to the persistence of many people, the extinction of the snail darter was ultimately avoided, and today we...

Who is blocking 29 million in Los Angeles from getting water, and why Despite some nice rainfall this year, the more than two dozen State Water Contractors throughout the state have been told to expect 45 percent water allocations. A recent Daily Democrat article said 100 percent water supply is probably not even possible for many areas, and estimated that 60-70 percent of water supplies through the two state aqueducts could be as good as it gets. Special: Christie Brinkley's New Wrinkle Remover! 15 Years Younger For $5 While recent rain has helped greatly, state water officials say it’s not...

Solar panels contain toxic, hazardous materials and there are no regulations in North Carolina on how to dispose of them. Also, there are no plans in place to deal with what could happen if a storm destroyed a solar facility. The Environmental Review Commission met last week and began a discussion about the toxic materials in solar panels, what to do with expired solar panels and what to do in the event of an accident or natural disaster involving a solar facility. Chaired by Sen. Trudy Wade (R-Guilford), the commission heard from Tom Reeder, NC Department of Environmental Quality assistant...

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Federal authorities say California's $68 billion higher-speed rail could harm the protected kit fox.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Seventeen rural communities in drought-stricken California are in danger of running out of water within four months, according to a list compiled by state officials. Wells are running dry or reservoirs are nearly empty in some communities. Others have long-running problems that predate the drought.

The humble yellow flower, no bigger than a quarter, shows itself only three months a year, in places where few people will ever see it. The Texas golden gladecress, it seems, is as close as a living thing can be to not being there at all. In fact, the plant, found only in the wet glades of East Texas, has all but disappeared because of mining activity, oil and gas development and more, prompting the federal government this week to propose listing it as an endangered species.............................................

The tiny mouse that became a hotly disputed symbol of wasteful spending in the $787 billion economic stimulus bill has returned to pester House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Obama administration revealed last week that as much as $16.1 million from the stimulus program is going to save the San Francisco Bay Area habitat of, among other things, the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. That has revived Republican criticism that the pet project was an "invisible earmark" in the massive spending bill for Mrs. Pelosi, whose San Francisco district abuts the Bay, and epitomizes what Republicans say is the failure of...

An open-minded review of what extreme environmentalists have wrought on the USA and on the world inescapably leads to the conclusion that they have caused millions of deaths and trillions of dollars in damages and losses. If you think this is incorrect or an exaggeration, let us consider the record with respect to just three issues: the snail darter, nuclear power and DDT. The Snail Darter In 1976, with the Tellico Dam on the Tennessee River 99% complete, its construction was stopped and its destruction was ordered after a tiny fish called the snail darter was discovered in that river.

Scientists have discovered a new species of freshwater stingray in a Thai river, an environmental group said, warning that its habitat must be protected to ensure its survival. The bottom-dwelling species, Himantura kittipongi, was found in the western province of Kanchanaburi and belongs to the Dasyatidae family of stingrays, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said on Wednesday. The 60-centimetre (24-inch) wide animal was named after Kittipong Jaruthanin, the Thai fish expert who found the animal two years ago and keeps it in a pond at his home. The stingray has 12 to 14 rows of teeth on its...