Environmental group threatens to sue over Mazda Toyota plant construction

Environmental group threatens to sue over Mazda Toyota plant constructionAn environmental group that has worked to protect a threatened Limestone County fish from a massive auto manufacturing plant says it now intends to sue. Mazda Toyota resumed construction Tuesday on a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant in a Huntsville-annexed portion of eastern Limestone County. Work had been halted while the company and environmental experts to ensure the habitat of the spring pygmy sunfish was protected during construction. A Center for Biological Diversity attorney said Tuesday they did not believe Mazda Toyota was doing enough to ensure the spring pygmy sunfish was being protected. "We are confident that the pygmy fish and its habitat will be adequately protected, and we are ready to move forward," the statement read.

Mazda Toyota restarts construction after endangered species concerns

A nearly two-week work stoppage caused by a rare one-inch fish that halted construction on Alabama's largest-ever economic development is over. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA announced work has resumed Tuesday on its $1.6 billion plant in west Huntsville. Protecting the habitat of the spring pygmy sunfish - a species of fish about 1-inch long listed as "threatened" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife officials told AL.com earlier this month that Mazda Toyota was following federal law in protecting the fish habitat and was free to resume work whenever they wanted. Mazda Toyota stopped work at the Limestone County site on July 12, saying at the time it expected only a short delay before restarting.

Endangered fish holds up Mazda Toyota plant

referring to Work on the $1.6 billion Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant in west Huntsville has been temporarily suspended because of environmental concerns. The lawsuit is not against Mazda Toyota Manufacturing. "This is a short-term suspension that reflects a shared goal of environmental preservation by Mazda, Toyota and the City of Huntsville," the statement from Huntsville officials said. "We are aware of the Center for Biological Diversity's concerns regarding the sunfish," Toyota said in a statement to AL.com. Mazda and Toyota continue to make environmental preservation a priority and we are committed to developing the property sustainability.

Despite fish concerns, Mazda Toyota can resume project

Fish & Wildlife Service said the auto plant can move forward whenever it wants. At issue was protecting the habitat of the spring pygmy sunfish, a one-inch long fish deemed a "threatened species" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the city of Huntsville and our joint venture partner, Mazda, to ensure that the necessary protections are in place. In an email statement to AL.com, Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the Mazda Toyota project should continue as planned. Fish & Wildlife has worked with Mazda Toyota before site work began earlier this year.




collected by :Edison Noah

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