Critical Habitat for Rare Plants May Be Designated After Court Order

A federal judge has found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service erred when it decided against designating critical habitat for 245 species of endangered or threatened Hawai–ian plants. Judge Alan C. Kay's order, is–sued March 9, 1998, granted the motion of the Conservation Council for Hawai’i, the Sierra Club, and the Hawaiian Botanical Society for summary judgment in the lawsuit they had brought against the Secretary of Interior and the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Representing the plaintiffs was the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund (formerly the Sierra Club Legal De–fense Fund).