This is in response to a dispute over a mine for lithium batteries, which would make electric vehicles more affordable.
On Wednesday, the agency proposed that Tiehm’s buckwheat be designated as critical habitat on a high desert ridge between Reno Nevada and Las Vegas.
It is the only known place where the delicate, 6-inch (15-centimeter tall) wildflower with yellow flowers is found.
It is also where Ioneer USA Corp. plans on building a large lithium mine.
Ioneer stated that the proposed designation was an “anticipated development” that “has not materially affected our planned mining activities.”
Australian-based company said that mining is permitted in areas designated as critical habitat, if approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management.
“Ioneer has already considered this in its planning and proposed operations, and continues to work closely alongside both agencies to ensure that its proposed activities do not jeopardize conservation of the species,” the company stated Wednesday.
In its formal notice, the Fish and Wildlife Service stated that the proposed designation was essential for the conservation and recovery Tiehm’s buckwheat. It supports all habitats that are occupied by the species across its range.
The move was praised by conservationists who filed suit to save the wildflower.
“This proposed critical habitat rule sends a strong message: protecting the native Tiehm’s buckwheat range is the only way for it to survive,” stated Naomi Fraga, conservation director at the California Botanic Garden. This group joined the Center for Biological Diversity’s 2019 petition to declare the plant endangered.
The demand for lithium is expected to increase by 50% worldwide by 2025. It is mainly from South America and Australia. A key component of President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan, which includes rebates for consumers who trade in their gas-powered cars for electric ones, could be lower by increasing domestic production.
Ioneer claims its mine will produce 22,000 tonnes (19,958 metric tonnes) of lithium, enough to power hundreds upon thousands of electric cars annually. The endangered species listing process has caused delays in the original plans of Ioneer to get all permits and start construction of the $785million project.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will not reverse its course based on new information. In September, the plant would be declared endangered. This is based on a court order and October 2021’s final listing rule by the agency that indicated that the wildflower could be at risk of extinction.
This listing triggers some regulatory obligations such as consultation with the service prior to any development or other activity that could cause harm to the plant.
The agency stated that critical habitat also indicates habitats that may need special management and protection. This includes road development and off-highway vehicle activity, livestock grazing, non-invasive species of plants, and herbivory.
Tiehm’s Buckwheat is found on approximately 10 acres (4 ha) at Rhyolite Ridge, in the Silver Peak range west from the small community Tonopah. This area is about 200 miles (322 km), from Reno. It is believed that less than 30,000 exist.
The habitat designation proposal of 910 acres (368 ha) would create a buffer of approximately 1,650 feet (503 meter) around the plants in order to allow bees and other pollinators access.
Conservationists advocate for a buffer three-fold larger than the one proposed by the agency. Ioneer, however, suggested that a buffer less than tenth the size recommended by the agency would suffice.
According to the company, its conservation strategy includes planting some flowers and creating new ones using seeds collected as part of an experiment at the University of Nevada in Reno.
According to conservationists, the proposed designation is a reaffirmation of their contention that it won’t work or pass legal scrutiny.
“Ioneer’s plans for destroying large swathes of the plant’s habitat to establish it elsewhere are unlikely to comply with a critical habitat classification, as the rule recognizes these areas are essential for species,” stated Patrick Donnelly (Center for Biological Diversity director in Nevada).
According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, Ioneer’s conservation strategy is still in its early stages.
According to Ioneer, Ioneer intends to fence off half the 8-acre (4-hectares) area where the flowers are grown and to “remove and salvage all plants… and transfer them to another place.”
However, the agency stated that soil studies and greenhouse experiments have shown that Tiehm’s Buckwheat thrives in a unique environment of soil conditions. This is distinct from other unoccupied soils.
The agency stated that the areas outside of the occupied area did not support these biological and physical features, and they were not likely to support Tiehm’s buckwheat populations.
U.S. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland can exclude an area from a critical area designation if she believes it would outweigh any benefits. “Unless we determine that… failure to identify such area will lead to the extinction or the species,” the agency stated.
