9/3/1997 233

APPEAL FILED IN LAKE MEAD CASE

The Southwest Center, on September 2, 1997, appealed a district court decision affirming the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's biological opinion on Bureau of Reclamation operations on the Lower Colorado River. The Fish and Wildlife Service authorized the complete destruction of the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher population at Lake Mead, even though it has permitted the destruction of 25% of the entire subspecies in the last two years.

Ex-governor Symington appointed Rita Pearson to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, which subsequently opposed efforts by the Southwest Center and Defenders of Wildlife to save the flycatcher population at Lake Mead. Pearson was appointed from the law firm of Snell and Wilmer, which represented Symington in his financial "problems" which eventually led to his conviction. Snell and Wilmer did not collect its full share of fees from Symington, but enjoyed $365,000 worth of government contracts and the appointment of Pearson to Arizona's highest water management post.