Dragonflies stop plans for a fire academy in Exeter

EXETER, R.I. --A dragonfly discovery has halted plans for a state fire academy in Exeter.

Rhode Island environmental officials say training exercises for firefighters on the Ladd School site could threaten two species of rare and endangered dragonflies.

Smoke from controlled-burn exercises could disrupt the dragonflies' mating route, they say.

The brook snaketail and zebra clubtail dragonfly species were discovered, along with other endangered animals, by the Nature Conservancy and the Rhode Island Natural History Survey after their teams examined more than 700 sites in the state.

Officials say the costs of accommodating the dragonflies and other environmental concerns, such as protecting a pristine aquifer the proposed site sits on, could exceed the $6.4-million budget for the project.

Firefighters would have to check the dragonflies' locations and wind directions whenever they carried out training exercises.

The state plans to continue looking for a new training facility. Currently, the academy operates from rented quarters at Quonset Point in North Kingstown, officials said.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/