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THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS HAS PETITIONED A U.S. DISTRICT Court in Washington, D.C., for permission to submit new evidence in its challenge of the National Marine Fisheries Service's designation of critical habitat for 19 Northwest salmon populations listed under the Endangered Species Act. (Greenwire, Nov. 21) Although the case has already been argued, the judge has not issued a ruling. The builders association wants to add to the record a memo written by Donna Darm, former acting Northwest regional director for NMFS, that says the agency doesn't bother with conducting an economic analysis, as required by the ESA, "we just designate everything as critical ..." (See NewsWatch, Nov.

19) NAHB President Bruce Smith said the memo could lead to eliminating the critical habitat designations altogether.

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