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Cactus ferruginous owl

Lawsuit Challenges Federal Officials for Failing to Protect Endangered Species Along Proposed Arizona Interstate

TUCSON, Ariz.— Conservation groups filed new legal challenges against the Federal Highway Administration today for failing to consider harms to threatened and endangered species, including the newly listed cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, from the proposed Interstate 11 in Arizona.

“Interstate 11 would decimate habitat for cactus ferruginous pygmy owls, who play a vital role in maintaining the health of the Sonoran Desert,” said Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “These small but fierce birds nest and raise their young in saguaro cacti and other desert trees that would be bulldozed for the highway’s construction. We’re fully committed to protecting these rare owls and their habitat from destruction.”

In 2022 the groups sued the Federal Highway Administration saying it sidestepped required environmental review before approving routes for the 280-mile-long highway between Nogales and Wickenburg. Today’s amended complaint says the agency also failed to analyze the highway’s threats to endangered species, as required under the Endangered Species Act.

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Media Contacts:

Media director: Patrick Sullivan, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org, (510) 844-7116
Climate: Nyshie Perkinson, Media Specialist – nperkinson@biologicaldiversity.org, (718) 928-5148
Endangered species, carnivore conservation:
Aaron Kunkler, Media Specialist – akunkler@biologicaldiversity.org, (206) 949-5353
Energy justice: Mary K. Reinhart, Deputy Media Director – mkreinhart@biologicaldiversity.org, (602) 320-7309
Oceans and international wildlife: Natalie Jones, Media Specialist – njones@biologicaldiversity.org, (510) 418-0179
Pesticides, toxics, air pollution, industrial agriculture and environmental health: Andy Parker, Media Specialist – aparker@biologicaldiversity.org, (503) 310-5569
Population and sustainability: Kim Dinan, Media Specialist – kdinan@biologicaldiversity.org, (513) 535-1306
Public Lands, national monuments: Mary K. Reinhart, Deputy Director of the Media Program – mkreinhart@biologicaldiversity.org, (602) 320-7309
Southwest, borderlands, New Mexico, Southern Rockies, Northern Rockies and Great Basin: Vanessa Barchfield, Senior Media Specialist – vbarchfield@biologicaldiversity.org, (520) 867-6686
Urban wildlands, government affairs: Wendy Leung, Senior Media Specialist – wleung@biologicaldiversity.org, (818) 625-3128
Media photos: Patrick Sullivan, Media Director, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org, (510) 844-7116

Ocelot by Robin Silver/Center for Biological Diversity.