January 07, 2016
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
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The Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (“Complaint”) on December 18th in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon against the United States Bureau of Reclamation (“Bureau”) alleging violations of the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). Case No. 15-2358.
CBD alleges that the Bureau’s operation and maintenance of Crane Prairie Dam and Reservoir and Wickiup Dam and Reservoir (collectively, “Dams”) violate the ESA due to impacts on Oregon’s spotted frog populations in the Upper Deschutes Basin of Central Oregon.
The spotted frog is a threatened species under the ESA.
CBD alleges that changes to normal water flows caused by operation of the two Dams impair the Oregon spotted frogs and their habitat around the reservoirs and downstream along the Upper Deschutes River. The Dams are alleged to have reduced the abundance, distribution, and genetic diversity of Oregon’s spotted frog populations in the Upper Deschutes River Basin and injured or killed individual frogs, egg masses and tag poles.
CBD asks the Court to require the Bureau to address the alleged violations of the law and provide protection to the spotted frogs until it completes consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in regards to impacts from the operation and maintenance of the Dams.
Click here to download a copy of the Complaint.
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