Endangered, Threatened Species Could Benefit From Congressional Redlands Bill

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a bill reintroduced in the U.S. Senate Monday, Feb. 13, would show some love to local endangered species, restoring mining-degraded habitat in the Upper Santa Ana River Wash in Redlands. The bill proposes a land swap that would move mining operations to protect plants and animals where the wash joins Mill Creek. Those include three endangered species – the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, slender-horned spineflower and Santa Ana woolly-star; the threatened California gnatcatcher; and the cactus wren.