Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

During the final weeks of the Biden administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reached agreements that set schedules for review of the status of species to determine whether listing them as endangered or threatened is warranted. The plaintiffs in these cases identified climate change as one of the threats facing these species. In a lawsuit challenging the FWS’s determination that listing of the Berry Cave salamander was not warranted, FWS agreed to review the salamander’s status by August 23, 2029. Center for Biological Diversity alleged that FWS disregarded best available scientific data regarding imminent threats—including climate change—to the species, which inhabits a small number of caves in East Tennessee.