25 Years Is Enough, Judge Tells Interior

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - In a suit by the Center for Biological Diversity, U.S. District Judge William Alsup has ordered the Department of the Interior to make a decision this year on whether to list rare birds and butterfliesas endangered, after 25 years of foot-dragging by the government.

Alsup foundunconvincing Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's claim that the Department of the Interior has made "expeditious progress" on whether to list thebirds and butterfliesspecies it has been studying for more than 25 years.Alsup ordered Interior to make a decision this year on the Chilean woodstar, Andean flamingo, medium treefinch, black-breasted puffleg and St. Lucia forest thrush. See ruling.

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