Groups to US: Protect Nevada flower from mine or face court

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Conservationists say they’re ready to take federal wildlife officials back to court in a three-year-long fight over endangered species protection for a rare wildflower in Nevada. Thiem’s buckwheat only exists at the site of a proposed lithium mine. The Fish and Wildlife Service concluded last October that the wildflower was at risk of extinction and proposed declaring it endangered. It had one year to finalize the listing but missed that Oct. 7 deadline. The Center for Biological Diversity sent the agency a formal notice this week of its intent to sue. The center won a court order forcing the agency to expedite its review two years ago.