$789 Million for a Toad

(Ventura, California) To protect the endangered arroyo toad (Bufo californicus), a federal study proposes that $789 million be spent over 25 years.

Of course, a logical expectation would be for the cost to rocket up to at least a billion dollars due to inflation and seemingly de rigueur cost overruns.

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife analysis issued last month looked at a revised proposal to protect more than 112,000 acres of critical habitat for the toad in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties.

The analysis says proposed restrictions would impact the economy by making it costlier to develop land and delaying construction.

The Fish and Wildlife agency is accepting public comments until July 28th.

Frankly, I think the toads deserve respect and should be able to prove themselves without human help. If they demonstrate their fitness is superior than they'll survive. If not, they'll evolve naturally and be selected for extinction. Human interference results in unnatural selection.

Not only that, but are more millions going to be ponied up after the first installment? If we spend $789 million (and change) for the first 25 years, what are we going to spend to keep the toad around for another 25 years? And what about the following 25 years after that? It won't end. It's welfare for a toad and welfare schemes largely don't work as intended.