Fish and Wildlife Service October 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the northern leopard frog (Lithobates (=Rana) pipiens) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the northern leopard frog is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning threats to the northern leopard frog or its habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Lake Sammamish kokanee, Oncorhynchus nerka, as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of all available scientific and commercial information, we find that the Lake Sammamish kokanee population is not a listable entity under the Act and, therefore, listing is not warranted. We ask the public to continue to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the taxonomy, biology, ecology, and status of Lake Sammamish kokanee, and to support cooperative conservation efforts for this population.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list Calopogon oklahomensis (Oklahoma grass pink orchid) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing Calopogon oklahomensis is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to Calopogon oklahomensis or its habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list 10 subspecies of Great Basin butterflies in Nevada and California as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and designate critical habitat. Based on our review, we find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the following 4 of the 10 subspecies as threatened or endangered may be warranted: Baking Powder Flat blue butterfly, bleached sandhill skipper, Steptoe Valley crescentspot, and White River Valley skipper. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a review of the status of these four subspecies to determine if listing these subspecies is warranted. To ensure that this status review is comprehensive, we are requesting scientific and commercial data and other information regarding these four subspecies. Based on the status review, we will issue a 12-month finding on these four subspecies, which will address whether the petitioned action is warranted under the Act. We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the remaining 6 of the 10 subspecies as threatened or endangered may be warranted: Carson Valley silverspot, Carson Valley wood nymph, Mattoni's blue butterfly, Mono Basin skipper, and the two Railroad Valley skipper subspecies. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, these four subspecies or their habitat at any time.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of the October 28, 2010, public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat and proposed endangered status for the spikedace (Meda fulgida) and loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) and draft environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed designation of critical habitat for spikedace and loach minnow, and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are also announcing a revision to proposed critical habitat units 6 (San Francisco River Subbasin) and 8 (Gila River Subbasin) for loach minnow. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, revisions to the proposed rule, the associated DEA and draft EA, and the amended required determinations section. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.