Salamander Is Subject Of Debate

Two congressmen are in Modesto today for a public meeting on a reptile of varied reputation.

The California tiger salamander may be shy, but it has surely found the national spotlight during a hearing today in Modesto. Mariposa Republican Congressman George Radanovich says he shares a common skepticism about the Endangered Species Act with Democratic Congressman Dennis Cardoza.Today´s public information session hopes to find a solution to the impending threatened species of the amphibian. The listing could affect 1.1 million acres of land in California with particular impact to the Central Valley agriculture.

That session this afternoon is being held in the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors chambers in Modesto.