U.S. Fish and Wildlife awards 4.0 million

[Tom]

 Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, announced that the USFWS has awarded 4.9 million dollars to the study of the Tucson Shovel-nosed snake.

[Gary_C]

There they go again, catering to the endangered species crowd. You know the ones that think we should save all species instead of letting mother nature determine the "survival of the fittest" and most adaptable. And they want to keep adding to the endangered species list.  :

[OneWithWood]

I t could be worse - they could be studying the Phoenix Shovel-nosed snake.   :D

[Bibbyman]

I guess that was the "shovel ready" project they were talking about with the Recovery Act.

[Tom]

If there were a true concern, how many acres of desert land would 5 million dollars buy?

......that is, if the public didn't know it was the government buying it.  :-\

[Gary_C]

Perhaps the government already owns the land. In fact they most likely do own the land. And since you discovered this, now you could find out what the money is really being used for. Perhaps to hire some favored environmental organization that need work so they can funnel campaign contributions back to the powers that need them.   

Or am I being too cynical?  :

[Tom]

Threats affecting the subspecies include habitat loss and fragmentation – due to urban and rural development; road construction, use and maintenance; potential solar power facilities; agriculture and wildfires – and a lack of adequate management and regulation.

[/size]

Ah-h-h   Solar power facilities will impact the habitat of the snake.  The Government has a dilema here, two conflicting goals. Perhaps the solar power facilities should be moved where they only threaten humans.  Humans don't count, you know.   Adequate management and regulation is important.  Only the Government can provide that.  :-\

[Gary_C]

And the government always can come up with some very good reasons for spending money. But the real question is "who gets the money?"

[red oaks lumber]

who gets the money? not anybody that works for a living.

[Slabs]

I've done in a number of snakes with a shovel.

[CHARLIE]

So how many people is the guv'ment gonna claim this is gonna employ?

[Left Coast Chris]

Yes....... Ive had a few snakes that ended up with a shovel head also.

Hmmm.... If there are a lack of shovel head snakes in sandy areas perhaps the sidewinders are encroaching on their habitat.   

Speaking of sidewinders,  it sounds like we have been taken for a large chunk of change again.......ouch. :(