Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To List the Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse as Threatened

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 12-month finding for a petition to list Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) throughout its known historic range in the 48 contiguous United States under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. We have reviewed the petition, information available in our files, other published and unpublished information submitted to us during the public comment period following the 90-day petition finding, consulted with recognized prairie grouse experts, and coordinated with other Federal, State, and tribal resource agencies within the historic range of the subspecies. On the basis of the best scientific and commercial information available, we find that listing the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse as a threatened species throughout its historic range in the contiguous United States is not warranted at this time.