The Fish and Wildlife Service missed Endangered Species Act deadlines for 11 Florida species but has now agreed to meet a revamped decision schedule.
This time, a judge could be watching the clock.
Prompted by a lawsuit that left it little room to maneuver, the FWS agreed to make final ESA listing decisions for the Florida Keys mole skink, rim rock crowned snake and key ring-necked snake by July 16. The court settlement filed Wednesday also requires final critical habitat determinations for the Everglades bully, a perennial shrub with spiny branches, and seven other south Florida plants by Jan. 20, 2027.
“This is a clear example of why we need timely protection for Florida’s rare plants and animals and the places they live. Without it, some of their most important habitat could be wiped out with no one the wiser,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
