The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is fighting a habitat designation for the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep, saying its economic development plans could be negatively affected.

The tribe says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to consider the economic impact. A recent 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision requires the agency to consider the cost of species protection.

The habitat designation includes 17,000 acres of tribal land. The tribe says it could lose "hundreds of millions of dollars" in the future.

Get the Story:
Lawsuit Pits Tribe Against U.S. and Endangered Bighorn Sheep (The Los Angeles Times 4/11)
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Relevant Links:
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians - http://www.aguacaliente.org

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Tribe fights habitat for endangered species (4/6)