The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a six-month extension to finalize whether to list the toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat as endangered species. The Service is also reopening the public comment period for 30 days.
During the previous public comment periods, the agency received new information and data regarding well operations that could be relevant to the final determination. To ensure careful consideration and to request additional information, the Service is reopening the public comment period on the proposed rule and extending the final determination of status for the blindcats by six months. The Service will now make a final determination on the proposed rule no later than Feb. 22, 2025.
The Service is seeking new information during the 30-day comment period, including data on species status, species life history, analogous species, extent and use of available habitat and species mortality estimates from groundwater wells. The comment period will open Aug. 1, 2024, and close on Sept. 3, 2024.
In August 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Following a public request in October 2023, the comment period was reopened for an additional 30 days on Dec. 7, 2023.
The blindcats are catfish species that live hundreds of feet below ground in the Edwards Aquifer in Bexar County, Texas.
The Service is committed to transparency in decision-making and setting high standards to ensure that ESA findings are science driven. Comments provided during the initial proposal and the previous reopening do not need to be resubmitted.
To obtain information on the proposal or submit comments, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: regulations.gov/docket/FWS-R2-ES-2023-0069. The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or before 11:59 p.m., Sept. 3, 2024
