Just read an article in the Massachusetts Fisheries & Wildlife magazine (Massachusetts Wildlife) describing the reasoning behind the delisting of the spotted turtle from the state endangered species list. Based on a detailed survey that dispelled the assumptions that the spotted was either rare, severely restricted in range or rapidly declining in numbers the State has removed its status as an endangered species.

Despite admitting that the spotted is not rare an advisory committee stated that the species should not be delisted because essentially they didn't want it to be. Apparently presence of the spotted turtle had been used very often as a reason to fight landowners' requests to develop their property. Even though Massachusetts' wetlands laws already moderate development in most of these cases the environmentalists were able to use the alledged endangered status of the spotted turtle to delay and harass developers quite effectively. Luckily the state biologists didn't see merit in this advice.

The fact that the state has used objective scientific proof to correct an overreach of the endangered species law (especially in a very "green" stae like Massachusetts) gives some hope that eventually some rhyme and reason will prevail in endangered species assignment.

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/nhrare.htm

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