Action timeline

June 10, 2005 – The Save Our Springs Alliance submitted a scientific petition to protect the Jollyville Plateau salamander under the federal Endangered Species Act.

December 13, 2007 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a notice that the salamander warranted Endangered Species Act protections, but that protections were precluded by higher-priority listings. The salamander was put on the “candidate list” to await protection indefinitely.

September 9, 2010 – The Center and Save Our Springs Alliance filed a notice of intent to sue the Service if it failed to emergency-list the salamander in light of grave danger from a planned water-treatment plant that would affect its habitat.

September 30, 2010 – The Center and Save Our Springs Alliance filed a formal petition asking the Service to provide Endangered Species Act protection for the Jollyville Plateau salamander.

July 12, 2011 – The Center reached a landmark agreement with the Service compelling the agency to move forward in the protection process for 757 species, including the Jollyville Plateau salamander.

January 9, 2012 – The Center and Save Our Springs Alliance formally notified the Service once again of our intent to sue the agency for failing to provide emergency Endangered Species Act protection to the salamander.

August 21, 2012 – The Service proposed to protect four Texas salamanders — including the Jollyville Plateau salamander — under the Endangered Species Act. It also planned to designate nearly 6,000 acres as critical habitat for the rare amphibians.

August 19, 2013 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protected two Texas salamanders — the Jollyville Plateau salamander and Austin blind salamander — under the Endangered Species Act and designated 4,451 acres as critical habitat for the rare amphibians.

 

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons/Piers Hendrie