ENDANGERED SPECIES Agreement reached over bats, building
ASHTABULA (AP) -- Wildlife officials reached a compromise with a school district where construction of a high school was threatening endangered Indiana bats.
Construction on the $44 million Lakeside High School campus stalled June 17 when a pregnant bat was discovered near school property in Saybrook Township.
The compromise reached Wednesday would allow construction on the 123-acre site to resume after officials agreed to move two softball diamonds and a soccer field. The school also will reconfigure two baseball diamonds and a practice field.
School board president Charles Hauff said he was cautiously optimistic that the agreement will be approved by all sides.
The Indiana bat is a protected species and in danger of extinction, mostly because of dwindling habitat. Saybrook Township trustees have proposed donating 18 acres to the school as bat habitat.
Wildlife officials were to conduct a study to determine if any bats are seen leaving trees near the planned athletic fields. If protected bats are discovered, the trees cannot be removed until fall when the bats migrate.
U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio, who represents the area, helped negotiate the proposed settlement. He got involved last month because school officials feared construction delays would add $1 million and another year to the school set to open in 2006.