Page 12 - aruba-today-20220406

A12 SCIENCE
Wednesday 6 april 2022

Nevada toad declared endangered

at site of geothermal plant

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In this photo provided by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, a
Dixie Valley toad sits atop grass in Dixie Valley, Nev., on April 6,
2009.
Associated Press

By SCOTT SONNER It wasn’t immediately clear
Associated Press how the toad’s listing might
RENO, Nev. (AP) — In a rare affect construction of the
emergency move, the U.S power plant about 100
government temporarily miles (160 kilometers) east
declared a northern Ne- of Reno. Conservationists
vada toad endangered and tribal members are try-
Monday, saying a geo- ing to block the project in
thermal power plant in the a lawsuit currently before
works could result in its ex- the 9th U.S. Circuit Court
tinction. The Fish and Wild- of Appeals. The dispute is
life Service announced it among a growing number
is formally proposing a rule of conflicts over wildlife
to list the Dixie Valley toad protection and tribal rights
as an endangered spe- on federal lands that the
cies subject to 60 days of Biden administration faces
public comment under the as it pursues its agenda to
Endangered Species Act’s combat climate change
normal rulemaking process. by replacing fossil fuels with
But it said the emergency renewable energy.
listing goes into effect im- Officials for Reno-based
mediately and will contin- Ormat Technologies Inc.,
ue for eight months while which broke ground on the
more permanent protec- power plant last month,
tions are considered for the have said they don’t be-
toad at the only place it is lieve a listing would impact
known to exist in the world. the project because the
It marks only the second company spent six years
time in 20 years the ser- developing a mitigation
vice has listed a species as plan to offset any potential
endangered on an emer- environmental impacts.
gency basis. “Protecting “Ormat long recognized
small population species the importance of conserv-
like this ensures the con- ing the Dixie Valley toad,
tinued biodiversity neces- regardless of its legal sta-
sary to maintain climate tus,” Ormat Vice President
resilient landscapes in one Paul Thomsen said Monday
of the driest states in the in an email to The Associ-
country,” the agency said. ated Press.q