Comments are coming due for a trio of proposed rules put out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding key elements to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), its definitions, and how critical habitat designations are made.
Some of the key definitions under consideration are “geographical area occupied by the species” and “physical or biological features” related to critical habitat designations, and “foreseeable future” regarding the listing requirement that “any species which is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.”
Additionally, the proposed rules include changes that would require economic impacts of listing decisions and critical habitat designation to be considered, interagency cooperation on listing procedures, and clearer definitions of delisting requirements. Comments are due for all three proposed rules on Sept. 24.
Look for more detailed coverage of these proposed rules in next week’s paper.
