Sunday, August 11, 2002 N.M. Suit Sets Off Habitat Backlash By Tania Soussan Journal Staff Writer A successful New Mexico court case challenging habitat protections for a small, endangered bird has sparked a wave of similar lawsuits by ranchers, farmers and developers. It all represents a turn of events in endangered species litigation. Environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson, had racked up a series of legal victories in recent years. Their lawsuits forced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate "critical habitat" more quickly — protecting the area essential to an endangered...