For immediate release September 26, 2023
Media contact: Adam Bronstein, Western Watersheds Project, 541-595-8034, adam@westernwatersheds.org
RENO, Nev. – Today, Western Watersheds Project notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of its intent to sue over the agency’s failure to comply with mandatory deadlines for determining whether Kings River pyrg (Pyrgulopsis imperialis) warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act. By law, the agency is supposed to respond to a citizen petition within 90 days, and deliver a final decision on listing within 12 months., Yet, in this case, the Service has been completely silent on the species since it received the petition on September 14, 2022.
The Kings River pyrg is a tiny springsnail known to exist in only two locations in Humboldt County, Nevada. The 13 known shallow springs in which it occurs are likely to be harmed by impacts to water quantity and quality caused by the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine, which is now under construction. The species has limited distribution and mobility, and is threatened by the mine, spring modification, drought, livestock grazing, and climate change.
“The Fish and Wildlife Service isn’t supposed to sit on its hands while species are in imminent danger of extinction, but the fact that it hasn’t met the deadlines on the pyrg raises questions about why they might be delaying,” said Adam Bronstein, Nevada Director of Western Watersheds Project. “It would be absolutely unacceptable if the Biden Administration is waiting until it’s too late to save the species so as not to interrupt the construction of a lithium mine.”
Today’s notice gives the agency sixty days to comply with the Endangered Species Act’s deadlines before Western Watersheds Project will be compelled to sue.
The Thacker Pass mine site occurs on lands considered sacred by the Burns Paiute of Oregon, the Winnemucca Indian Colony, and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. The Paiute name for the area is “Peehee Mu’huh.”
