AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.-
The Air Force Academy is investigating why officials allowed the construction of a parking lot on a small section of land used by the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse without notifying federal environmental officials.
“We violated not only our rules but the (U.S.) Fish and Wildlife (Service) rules,” academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker told The Gazette. “I’m not going to downplay it, because it is a big deal. Environmental protection is a big deal for the Air Force, and it’s a big deal here.”
There are 3,500 acres of land at the academy reserved for the mouse’s habitat. The RV parking lot reached into less than half an acre of land protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The academy makes $180,000 a year from operating the RV park, and was expanding it from 6.3 acres to 10.5 acres.
Although an environmental assessment was conducted before the project began, the problem was only discovered three weeks ago, Whitaker said.
Brian Bush, the academy’s environmental lawyer, said no critical habitat was destroyed or animals killed, and there will be no punishment. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which will tour the site next week, will decide how the academy should remediate the damage.
