I believe you are exaggeratnig the issue here.
The problems you represent will not rise and fall on the salavation of this one salamander.
Government regulation has costs. For the most part, these costs are borne by individuals, although it's more likely to make the news when a government agency is affected
The by-product of the imposed costs of environmental regulations is reduced quality-of-life (or reduced life) for the individuals affected: businesses put in bankruptcy, people laid off, seniors finding their biggest asset (their homes) having reduced value (leaving them with fewer resources to make their lives more enjoyable and longer)
My position is that I'm a conservationist: I like the idea of preserving the environment FOR THE PURPOSE of enhancing human life, rather than from finding animals, plants, and "Mother Earth" having any inherent rights. If, in order to extend the life of one of my kids, I would vivisect the last spotted owl on earth