U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues 90-Day Findings on Petitions to List 25 Plant and Animal Species

On September 18, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued 90-day findings on 25 petitions to list various plants and animals under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  Of the 25 petitions, the Service concluded that 23 petitions presented substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted, and initiated 12-month status reviews for those species to determine if the listing is warranted under the ESA.  These species include:

Species Latin Name Range
Blue Calamintha bee Osmia calaminthae Florida
California spotted owl Strix occidentalis occidentalis California
Cascade torrent salamander Rhyacotriton cascadae Washington and Oregon
Columbia torrent salamander Rhyacotriton kezeri Washington and Oregon
Florida pine snake Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
Inyo Mountains salamander Batrachoseps campi California
Lesser slender salamander Batrachoseps minor California
Limestone salamander Hydromantes brunus California
Northern bog lemming Synaptomys borealis Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New York
Panamint alligator lizard Elgaria panamintina California
Peaks of Otter salamander Plethodon hubrichti Virginia
Regal fritillary Speyeria idalia Kansas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
Rusty patched bumble bee Bombus affinis Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Ontario, Canada
Shasta salamander Hydromantes shastae California
Short-tailed snake Stilosoma extenuatum Florida
Southern rubber boa Charina bottae umbratica California
Tinian monarch Monarcha takatsukasae Tinian Island
Tricolored blackbird Agelaius tricolor California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington (United States), and Baja California (Mexico
Contiguous U.S. distinct population segment (DPS) of tufted puffin Fratercula cirrhata Washington, Oregon, and California
Virgin River spinedace Lepidomeda mollispinis mollispinis Arizona, Nevada, and Utah
Yuman desert fringe-toed lizard Uma rufopunctata Arizona (United States) and Sonora (Mexico)

 

The Service also concluded that a listing petitions for the Cahaba pebblesnail (Clappia cahabensis), found in Alabama, and a delisting petition for Stephens’ kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi), found in California, did not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted.  Accordingly, the Service declined to initiate status reviews for those species.

The Service has indicated that it will be accepting comments on the 23 species undergoing status reviews until November 17, 2015.

 

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Nossaman’s Endangered Species Law & Policy blog focuses on news, events, and policies affecting endangered species issues in California and throughout the United States. Topics include listing and critical habitat decisions, conservation and recovery planning, inter-agency consultation, and related developments in law, policy, and science. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions.

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