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Environmental Law

: ESA Blawg

FWS may list Hermes Copper Butterfly, notices conservation assessment on mexican wolf, and extends public comment on polar bear critical habitat

By Keith Rizzardi

ADVERTISEMENTS

75 Fed. Reg. 23654 / Vol. 75, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 4, 2010 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR / Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17 / Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2010-0031 / MO 92210-0-0008-B2
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition to List Hermes Copper Butterfly as Threatened or Endangered

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90–day finding on a petition to list Hermes copper butterfly (Hermelycaena ycaenahermes) as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) and to designate critical habitat. We find the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Hermes copper butterfly may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this species. Based on the status review, we will issue a 12–month finding on the petition, which will address whether the petitioned action is warranted, as provided in section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act.

EXCERPT: Hermes copper butterfly listing may be warranted due to the threat of urban development, mortality due to wildfire, and the restricted geographical range or population isolation of the species... Notably, wildfire regimes throughout southern California have been changing for some time, and much of this change is attributed to human demography and population density.

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75 Fed. Reg. 24741 / Vol. 75, No. 86 / Wednesday, May 5, 2010 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR / Fish and Wildlife Service
FWS–R2–ES–2010–N062; 20124–11130000–C2
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) Conservation Assessment

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the Mexican Wolf Conservation Assessment (assessment). The assessment provides scientific information relevant to the conservation of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) in Arizona and New Mexico as a component of the Service’s gray wolf (Canis lupus) recovery efforts. Not required by the Endangered Species Act (Act), the assessment is a nonregulatory document that does not require action by any party.

KEITHINKING: Southwest FWS webpages are down. Analysis to follow.

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75 Fed. Reg. 24545 / Wednesday, May 5, 2010 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR / Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17 / Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2009–0042; 92210–1117–0000–B4 / RIN 1018–AW56
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Polar Bear in the United States

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of the public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA), corrections to our proposed boundaries for sea-ice critical habitat, our intention to hold two public hearings to provide the public with an opportunity to submit testimony on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear and on the DEA, and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to provide additional comment on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, corrections to our proposed boundaries for sea-ice critical habitat, and the amended required determinations section... We will hold two public hearings, one on June 15, 2010,
from 7–10 p.m. in Anchorage, Alaska, and another on June 17, 2010, from 7– 10 p.m. in Barrow, Alaska. During the first hour of these meetings (from 7–8 p.m.)

Full post as published by ESA Blawg on May 08, 2010 (boomark / email).