Department of the Interior February 3, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on our October 8, 2020, proposed rule to reclassify the red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis) as a threatened species with a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as amended. This action will allow all interested parties the opportunity to comment on the revised proposed section 4(d) rule language set forth in this document, which addresses concerns raised in the public comments we received on the October 8, 2020, proposed rule. Comments previously submitted on the proposed reclassification of the red-cockaded woodpecker and previously proposed section 4(d) rule need not be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final determination.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the Morro shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta walkeriana) from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species' status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so in the foreseeable future. We also finalize a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act that provides for the conservation of the Morro shoulderband snail. In addition, we update the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife to reflect the latest scientifically accepted taxonomy and nomenclature for the species as Helminthoglypta walkeriana, Morro shoulderband snail.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Tiehm's buckwheat (Eriogonum tiehmii), which the Service has proposed to list as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, we propose to designate approximately 910 acres (368 hectares) in one unit in Nevada as critical habitat for Tiehm's buckwheat. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed critical habitat designation.

The Bureau of Reclamation is announcing the interest rate to be used by Federal agencies in the formulation and evaluation of plans for water and related land resources is 2.25 percent for fiscal year 2022.