In 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service placed 49 species found only in Hawaii, including the Hawaiian yellow-faced bee and the Hawaiian damselfly, on the federal endangered species list. Six years later, the USFWS has failed to identify critical habitat necessary to prevent the extinction of these rare and precious species, as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The Center for Biological Diversity has announced that it will sue the USFWS, calling the lack of action “morally and legally unacceptable.” These populations may well disappear without better protection; time is of the essence.