A group has been formed to provide scientific information and research about the salamander and the Salado and Jollyville salamanders. Called the Northern Edwards Aquifer Resource Council, the nonprofit group says its purpose is not to challenge the Endangered Species Act or fight the listing of the salamanders. Instead, the group says it wants to provide "credible research to help ensure that individual new listings are not made inappropriately, and to review and suggest various strategies for appropriate conservation measures if they are needed."

Organizers include Jim Boles of Summit Commercial Industrial Properties in Round Rock and Don Martin, a partner in 35/45 La Frontera LP, the owner of the La Frontera mixed-use development in Round Rock. Information on members and how much money the group has raised was not available.

The Georgetown salamander lives in a Georgetown cave and tributaries of the San Gabriel River, which runs through Georgetown. If the salamander receives either federal designation of threatened or endangered, attempts to protect it could mean restriction on what gets built and how it's built. Projects in southwest Austin must limit impervious cover and set aside a percentage of land that's not developed.

The council says such restrictions in the Georgetown area could affect the tax base of school districts, cities and counties by limiting development. "A number of local governments have issued bonds for expansion, construction and transportation projects which depend on continued planned, orderly growth in the tax base to pay off bonds," the group said in the release announcing its formation.

The group has commissioned Arizona-based SWCA Environmental Consultants to research the salamander listings and provide services for coordinating studies underway by landowners and local governments. SWCA has an office in Austin.

Martin tells GlobeSt.com that about 90 people attended the council's recent organizational meeting. Supporters include Del Webb, the developer of Sun City, Milburn Homes, San Gabriel Village in Georgetown), Butler Family Interests and Robert D. Wunsch Development.