Fish and Wildlife Service September 10, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and to designate critical habitat. Following a review of the petition, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing this subspecies may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if listing the Pacific walrus is warranted. To ensure that the status review is comprehensive, we are soliciting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding this subspecies.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce our 12-month finding on a petition to list Astragalus anserinus (Goose Creek milkvetch) as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a thorough review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing A. anserinus under the Act is warranted. However, listing is currently precluded by higher priority actions to amend the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. We have assigned a listing priority number (LPN) of 5 to this species, because the threats affecting it have a high magnitude, but are non-imminent. Upon publication of this 12-month petition finding, A. anserinus will be added to our candidate species list. We will develop a proposed rule to list A. anserinus as our priorities allow. Any determinations on critical habitat will be made during development of the proposed rule.