JULY 11,
2019
by Laura
Newberry, Rosanna Xia
The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday withdrew its request that the California
Coastal Commission sanction its controversial mouse eradication proposal on the
Farallon Islands.
Following
nearly two hours of testimony from the federal agency and conservationists,
several commissioners seemed poised to vote against the project, which would
involve scattering 1.5 tons of rat poison pellets over the islands, which lie
just 27 miles from the San Francisco coast.
"We
haven't been convinced this is the best and only way to go," said
Commission Chair Dayna Bochco.
Fish
and wildlife
biologists say
they must drop a powerful rodenticide on the islands in order to kill tens of
thousands of invasive house mice they say are wreaking havoc on a fragile
ecosystem.
The federal government
does not require the express permission of the Coastal Commission in order to
go ahead with its plan. However, the body's approval would help bolster public supportand
potentially stave off litigation.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!