Search Results for keywords:"critical habitat"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a rule to list several Caribbean skink species as endangered or threatened. The Puerto Rican skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink are proposed as endangered, while the Culebra skink is proposed as threatened. The proposal also includes designating critical habitats for these species to aid in their conservation. Public comments on the proposal will be accepted until February 18, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are proposing amendments to the consultation regulations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. These changes pertain to land management plans by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The proposed revisions aim to make it clear that when new information emerges which could affect species or habitats in ways not previously considered, reinitiating consultation won't always be necessary, as long as a separate action-specific consultation is conducted for any related actions. The goal is to improve the efficiency and consistency of interagency cooperation procedures.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying the effective date of a rule concerning the critical habitat of the northern spotted owl until April 30, 2021. This decision allows for further review due to concerns about legal and procedural issues with the rulemaking process, as well as significant changes in habitat exclusions made in the final rule. During this delay, the Service is opening a 30-day comment period for public input on the issues raised by the rule and whether an additional delay is necessary. The postponement is also intended to avoid possible legal challenges and to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to establish critical habitat for the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population of the longfin smelt, a fish found in California's San Francisco Bay estuary. This includes approximately 91,630 acres of land to help conserve the species under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal outlines specific water conditions and habitat requirements needed for the smelt's survival. Public comments and economic analysis on the proposal are sought before finalizing the critical habitat designation.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a rule to designate critical habitat for four distinct population segments of the foothill yellow-legged frog in California under the Endangered Species Act. This proposal outlines the locations and features necessary for the conservation of this frog species, covering around 760,071 acres. The proposal also considers potential impacts on land use, such as economic and national security concerns, as well as existing conservation plans. Public comments are invited until March 17, 2025, with requests for a public hearing due by February 28, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new rule to list the bleached sandhill skipper, an insect subspecies from Humboldt County, Nevada, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The listing is due to threats from climate change and groundwater pumping affecting its habitat. The agency invites public comments until March 10, 2025, and will conduct a public hearing if requested. The rule would extend protections to the species, although a critical habitat designation is not yet determined.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to designate critical habitats for four species of freshwater mussels: the rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox, and spectaclecase. These designations spread across 17 states in the United States, covering approximately 3,974 river miles. The critical habitats are aimed at protecting key environmental features essential for the mussels' survival, such as suitable water flow, quality, and host fish presence. The agency is inviting comments on this proposal until February 11, 2025, and has also released an economic analysis regarding the designations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially listed the swale paintbrush, a plant from New Mexico and parts of Mexico, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This final rule provides protections for the plant, which is at risk due to habitat loss, climate change, and other threats, though no critical habitat will be designated due to collection risks. The decision's goal is to prevent the plant from becoming extinct, recognizing its precarious status with actions set to be effective on January 6, 2025.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (part of the Commerce Department) issued a correction for a notice about the critical habitat for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment of the bearded seal. In the original document published on January 8, 2021, they noted a date error. Specifically, on page 1433, the date "March 9, 2020," should be corrected to "March 9, 2021." This proposed rule appeared in the Federal Register under citation 86 FR 7242.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are extending the public comment period for a proposed rule to designate critical habitat for seven threatened coral species in U.S. Indo-Pacific waters. The comment period is extended by 30 days, now closing on March 27, 2021. This extension follows public hearings and requests, including a letter from the Governors of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, to allow more time for public review and feedback on the proposed rule. The critical habitat designation aims to protect essential substrate and water column habitat important for the reproduction and growth of these coral species.