Description: Challenge to the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny their 2010 petition to list the Kirtland’s snake under the Endangered Species Act.
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Center for Biological Diversity v. Williams
Case Documents:
Filing Date Type File Action Taken Summary 06/08/2022 Complaint Download Complaint filed. Environmental Groups Alleged Failure to Consider Best Available Science on Climate Change in Challenge to Denial of Listing Petition for Kirtland’s Snake. Center for Biological Diversity and Hoosier Environmental Council filed a lawsuit challenging the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny their 2010 petition to list the Kirtland’s snake under the Endangered Species Act. They alleged that the snake’s population had declined due to urban and residential development, as well as agricultural development and associated harms, and that climate change also posed “a substantial threat” to the snake “as large portions of the species’ current range are predicted to become increasingly unsuited to meet the species’ ecological needs.” Their complaint alleged that best available science indicated that climate change would make most of the snake’s current range unsuitable in the foreseeable future, and that the FWS arbitrarily assumed that the snake would adapt to and survive climate change in its current range. In addition, the complaint alleged that the FWS did not adequately evaluate whether threats from climate change and other factors constituted “concentrated” threats.