BIRD IN HAND: The long wait is...

BIRD IN HAND: The long wait is almost over. This morning Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is scheduled to announce whether the gnatcatcher will be protected under the Endangered Species Act. (B1) Local developers and environmentalists flew to Washington for the event. . . . The word is that the tiny bird will probably be listed as a threatened species, with some special rules to help developers. Says a GOP congressional aide: “We’re waiting along with everyone else to hear.”