Related articles:

Environmental group plans to sue feds over 55 endangered species

Construction
Green Valley Heating & Cooling
HVAC Service Tech Engineering
SEARLES VALLEY MINERALS
PROCESS ENGINEER Administrative & Professional
ADMIN ASST
JEWISH FEDERATION OF SO AZ Trades/Construction
CIMETTA ENGINEERING
WELDERS Office and Clerical
Tucson Residence Foundation
Receptionist General
Border States Electric
Warehouse Associates Health Care
Project Insight
Asst Program Coordinator

TUCSON — An environmental organization served notice Tuesday that it intends to sue a federal agency over 55 endangered species in 28 states and seek restoration of 8.7 million acres of protected habitat.

The Center for Biological Diversity said its formal notice of intent to sue the Interior Department is the starting point for the largest legal action in the history of the 34-year-old Endangered Species Act.

The action accuses the federal government of illegally removing one animal from the endangered species list, refusing to put three animals on the list and proposing to downgrade or remove protection from seven others.

In addition, it contends that the government's actions stripped protection from 8.7 million acres of critical habitat for a range of plant and animal species from Texas to Washington state.

Federal law requires filing a notice of intent to sue before a lawsuit can be instituted.

The Tucson-based center claims that Bush administration appointees made the decision based on politics and not science.

Jeff Humphrey, a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Phoenix, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.