The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today the results of a 90-day finding on 192 species from a petition to list 475 species, mostly found in the southwestern United States, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. For 125 of the 192 species, the Service found that the petition did not present substantial information indicating that listing may be warranted. The Service did find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing may be warranted for 67 of the 192 species.
On January 6, 2009, the Service published an initial 90-day finding and determined that 270 of the 475 species petitioned did not present substantial information to warrant listing, and dismissed 5 additional species because they were not eligible to be petitioned. The Service had a stipulated settlement agreement to make 90-day findings on the remaining 200 species by December 9, 2009.
With the publication of this notice the Service is initiating a more thorough status review of the 67 species to determine if listing is warranted. The 67 species occur in 16 states and Mexico. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, the Service is soliciting information from state and federal natural resource agencies, Tribes and all interested parties regarding the 67 species and their habitat.
To allow adequate time to conduct a status review, the Service requests that information be received on or before February 16, 2010. After this date, you must submit information directly to the Southwest Regional Ecological Services Office.
Based on the status review, the Service will issue a 12-month finding on the petition, which will address whether the petitioned action is warranted, as provided in the Act.
The finding was published in the Federal Register. To see the list of species, or to learn how to provide information, see the Federal Register notice at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/index.html.
For further information contact Nancy Gloman, Assistant Regional Director, Southwest Regional Ecological Services Office, 500 Gold Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102; telephone 505/248-6920; facsimile 505/248-6788. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
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