SAHBA Media Alert
April 13, 2006
Pygmy owl removal from Endangered Species list
The National Association of Home Builders in Washington, DC., and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) in Tucson have been advised that the federal government is in the process of publicly announcing its decision to remove the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl as an endangered species.
SAHBA President Ed Taczanowsky stated that the decision by US Fish & Wildlife Service “is long overdue,” based on the 2003 opinion of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. SAHBA feels that today's final ruling, based on nine years of scientific data and research, “is a fair and reasonable decision based on facts, not emotions.”
“Now that the federal government has made its final ruling, we consider this issue to be over and will direct our attention to other development policy issues in Southern Arizona,” he said.
At this time, SAHBA officials will not speculate on will happen to lands being freed up by this ruling. This is a matter for local elected officials to analyze and collaborate with SAHBA on future actions, if any.
SAHBA represents about 700 member businesses and 40,000 jobs serving the residential construction industry in Pima and Cochise counties.
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