Endangered Toad's Habitat Threatened by Oil Projects

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Tiny toads in a remote Nevada wetland are at the center of a high-stakes legal battle against the most powerful office in America.

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These aren't just any amphibians - the Railroad Valley toad exists nowhere else on Earth except a single 445-acre wetland complex in central Nevada.

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Why are environmental groups rushing to court? Federal protections promised to the toads have been mysteriously delayed while new oil leases move forward.

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Dozens of oil wells already operate dangerously close to the toad's only habitat, with federal officials now offering additional land plots for petroleum extraction.

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The lawsuit claims a deadly deadline: Without immediate legal protection, expanding fossil fuel operations could permanently destroy the toad's fragile ecosystem.

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What makes this case particularly urgent? Nevada's status as America's driest state means water resources are already stretched to breaking point.

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Center for Biological Diversity attorney warns the administration's energy priorities could push multiple species toward extinction if environmental reviews are bypassed.

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The fate of these small amphibians now rests with federal judges who must balance economic interests against environmental law designed to prevent extinctions.

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Similar legal challenges are mounting across the country as conservation groups fight to maintain endangered species protections against fast-tracked energy development.

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The judicial ruling may substantially affect both the endangered amphibian's survival prospects and the government's capacity to accelerate energy development projects.

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