Search Results for keywords:"Endangered Species Act"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the Peñasco least chipmunk, a mammal found in New Mexico, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Approximately 4,386 acres in Lincoln County, New Mexico, have been designated as critical habitat for the chipmunk. This decision aims to provide protections against threats such as habitat loss, disease, and small population size. Certain areas, including parts managed by the Mescalero Apache Tribe, have been excluded from the critical habitat designation to maintain effective partnerships and recognize tribal management of their lands.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued permits and permit amendments under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These permits are for specific entities, allowing activities that involve marine mammals and endangered species. The issued permits comply with legal requirements and ensure that activities will not harm endangered species or contradict the laws. More information is available for review by contacting specific representatives or through the Federal Register website.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has reissued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for construction activities involved in the Unalaska Channels Deepening Project in Alaska. This reissuance is necessary due to project delays and extends the period of the initial authorization. The authorization allows for the incidental harassment of four species of marine mammals, like humpback whales and Steller sea lions, ensuring that the impacts remain negligible. The reissued IHA maintains the same mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements as originally approved, and complies with environmental laws including the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing an update to the description of the western North Pacific gray whale population under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to reflect the latest scientific understanding. This update follows a 5-year review and a distinct population segment analysis, which found that the gray whales in this area should be managed as a single group, including those that migrate between the Western and Eastern North Pacific. The proposed changes update the official description without altering the endangered status of the whales. Public comments on this proposal are invited until January 13, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to classify the Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This decision is based on a significant decline in the bee's population due to factors like habitat loss, pesticides, pathogens, and climate change, which also affect its host species. The proposed listing aims to provide federal protections for the bee, although specific critical habitat designation is not yet possible due to insufficient data. Public comments on the proposal will be accepted until February 18, 2025.

Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin has filed a Notice of Intent to apply for a new license for the Trego Hydroelectric Project located on the Namekagon River in Wisconsin. They have requested to use the Traditional Licensing Process, which was approved by the Director of the Division of Hydropower Licensing. This notice also initiates consultation with various agencies under several environmental and historic preservation acts. Northern States is designated as the Commission's non-federal representative to carry out these consultations, and they have committed to submitting the application for the new license by November 30, 2023.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed removing Ute ladies'-tresses, a type of orchid, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. The decision is based on a review of scientific data indicating that the species has recovered enough and is no longer threatened by extinction. The proposal explains that conservation efforts and regulatory protections, along with the species' natural resilience to threats such as urban development and climate change, ensure its survival. If the rule is finalized, the legal protections under the Endangered Species Act for this plant would no longer apply, but post-delisting monitoring will be conducted to ensure the species remains secure.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comments on permit applications for activities aimed at recovering and enhancing the survival of endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act, many activities that could affect endangered species are prohibited unless permitted by the federal government. The public has until February 18, 2021, to submit comments on these permit requests. These permits would allow activities such as capturing or collecting endangered animals or plants for scientific purposes that support their recovery or survival.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced they have received applications for permits related to activities that help endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. They are asking for comments from the public and various agencies on these applications by February 22, 2021. These permits would allow certain activities for the scientific purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of these species. All public comments, including those with personal information, may be made available publicly, so commenters should be aware of this when submitting feedback.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has begun a 5-year review of the island grouper, a species listed as threatened. This review is required by the Endangered Species Act to decide if the island grouper should remain on the list, be downgraded to a less critical status, or be upgraded to a more critical status. NMFS is seeking information from the public and various organizations on topics such as the biology, threats, and conservation efforts related to the species. The deadline for submitting information is March 3, 2025.