SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken steps toward designating the Wilson's phalarope an endangered species.
"Based on our review, we find that the petitions to list... present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted," the agency said in a notice shared with FOX 13 News by the environmental group that has petitioned for the designation.
The decision could present a nightmare scenario for state leaders on the Great Salt Lake. Environmentalists have pushed for an endangered species designation, arguing that state leaders simply have not done enough to save the lake and the millions of migratory birds that rely on it.
An endangered species designation opens the door to immense federal oversight of plans to reverse the lake's declines. It has been opposed by political leaders on Utah's Capitol Hill.
"Wilson’s phalarope is sounding the alarm bell about the Great Salt Lake’s decline,” Deeda Seed of the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “I’m thrilled these little birds are one step closer to the protection they so desperately need, and I’m hopeful this leads to real action to save the Great Salt Lake.”
The decision does not mean an endangered species designation will happen. What it means is the federal government is "initiating status reviews of these species to determine whether the petitioned actions are warranted."
"...we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Wilson’s phalarope as a threatened or endangered species may be warranted. The petition also presented information suggesting that wintering habitat loss from lithium mining, general habitat loss under climate change, and reduced salinity following wetland restoration projects may be threats to Wilson’s phalarope," the agency said in its notice.
This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org.
