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Feds Agree to Review Rare Nev. Butterfly
The conservationists' "intent is to shut down Sand Mountain," said Jon Crowley, a member of Friends of Sand Mountain, a four-wheel-drive club that has been encouraging off-roaders to stay out of posted butterfly habitat. "The truth is, they would like to see all off-roading banned from public."
"The biggest problem is the Endangered species Act is slanted toward being too cautious. It really needs to be reformed," Crowley said from his home in California.
  This undated image provided by the Bureau of land Management, shows the Sand Mountain blue butterfly at the Sand Mountain Recreation Area, east of Fallon, Nev. Conservationists filed a lawsuit against the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006, in an ongoing battle over protection of the rare Nevada butterfly and off-road vehicle use at a one of the largest sand dunes in the West. (AP Photo/Bureau of Land Management) (AP) 
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Patterson said only a federal listing will save the butterfly at the 600-foot tall, two-mile long sand dune where an ancient lake once existed. Voluntary restrictions on off-road use have been unsuccessful, he said.
"The BLM has allowed 80 percent of the habitat to be destroyed there and refused to protect the remaining habitat," he said. "We certainly aren't going to let the Sand Mountain butterfly go extinct by somebody's idea of fun _ driving all over its habitat."
Patterson said listing the butterfly as endangered would "bring more resources, focus and management to save this species."
"Sand Mountain will not be closed to off-roading. I don't foresee that. That is certainly not our objective."
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On the Net:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nevada: http:/
Center for Biological Diversity: http:/
Friends of Sand Mountain: http:/