LAS VEGAS (AP) — Conservationists have sued to try to block the expansion of a ski resort in the mountains outside Las Vegas that they would threaten the survival of a rare butterfly.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the corporation that owns the Lee Canyon Ski Area wants to add mountain biking trails, zip lines and a roller coaster to its resort.
The Center for Biological Diversity said any moves to approve the project violate federal protections for the inch-long Mount Charleston blue butterfly and its habitat in the Spring Mountains above Las Vegas.
The luminous blue-gray butterfly has faced threats in recent years including wildfires, invasive species and climate change.
