The Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday said it will closely examine seven species as possible candidates for federal protections, including a toad and a fish that environmentalists believe are at risk from proposed Nevada gold mine operations.
But the roster of threatened and endangered species might also shrink a bit, as the agency said it will consider removing another animal, the golden-cheeked warbler, from the Endangered Species Act list.
All of the potential listing and delisting decisions will be made following completion of the “12-month” reviews initiated Friday. In each case, the Fish and Wildlife Service said that preliminary assessments found that petitions presented “substantial scientific or commercial information” indicating that the proposed actions may be warranted.
In response to petitions from the Center for Biological Diversity, the full-bore reviews will include the Amargosa toad and the Oasis Valley speckled dace, a small fish. According to the petitions, both species are threatened with extinction from proposed gold mining operations along the Amargosa River near Beatty, Nevada.