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FWS rejects petition to list American dipper in South Dakota
Category Federal Register
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74 Fed. Reg. 55177 / Vol. 74, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 27, 2009 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service / 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding on a Petition To List the American Dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota as Threatened or Endangered
ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the distinct population segment (DPS) of American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor) in the Black Hills of South Dakota as threatened or endangered and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). For the purposes of this finding, we evaluated whether the petition presents substantial information to indicate whether the petitioned entity (the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota) is a listable entity. Based on our review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we conclude that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota is not a listable entity under the Act. Because the petition did not present substantial information that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota is a DPS, we did not evaluate whether the information contained in the petition regarding threats was substantial. Therefore, we will not initiate a status review to determine if listing this subspecies is warranted in response to this petition. However, the public may submit to us new information concerning the subspecies, its status, or threats to it at any time.
The American dipper is a small, gray passerine bird that inhabits western Canada, Mexico, and the western United States, including the Black Hills of South Dakota. The American dipper utilizes permanent, clean, cold, and swift mountain streams with abundant and healthy populations of benthic macroinvertebrates, the dipper’s prey. Photo from South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks.
EXCERPT: On October 2, 2008, we received a petition dated September 29, 2008, requesting that we list the DPS of American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota as threatened or endangered under the Act and designate critical habitat for that DPS. In addition, the petition, submitted by the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Center for Native Ecosystems, Native Ecosystems Council, and Prairie Hills Audubon Society, requested emergency listing of the DPS... we find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information to indicate that listing the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota may be warranted. This finding is based on the lack of substantial scientific evidence to indicate that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota may meet the elements of being a valid DPS and, therefore, a listable entity under the Act. Although the population appears to meet the criteria for being discrete, neither the information in the petition nor the information readily available in our files suggests that the Black Hills dipper population may be significant in relation to the remainder of the taxon. Therefore, we conclude that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota does not satisfy the elements of being a DPS under our 1996 policy and, therefore, is not a listable entity...
Bookmark :
74 Fed. Reg. 55177 / Vol. 74, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 27, 2009 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service / 50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding on a Petition To List the American Dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota as Threatened or Endangered
ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the distinct population segment (DPS) of American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor) in the Black Hills of South Dakota as threatened or endangered and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). For the purposes of this finding, we evaluated whether the petition presents substantial information to indicate whether the petitioned entity (the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota) is a listable entity. Based on our review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we conclude that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota is not a listable entity under the Act. Because the petition did not present substantial information that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota is a DPS, we did not evaluate whether the information contained in the petition regarding threats was substantial. Therefore, we will not initiate a status review to determine if listing this subspecies is warranted in response to this petition. However, the public may submit to us new information concerning the subspecies, its status, or threats to it at any time.
The American dipper is a small, gray passerine bird that inhabits western Canada, Mexico, and the western United States, including the Black Hills of South Dakota. The American dipper utilizes permanent, clean, cold, and swift mountain streams with abundant and healthy populations of benthic macroinvertebrates, the dipper’s prey. Photo from South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks.
EXCERPT: On October 2, 2008, we received a petition dated September 29, 2008, requesting that we list the DPS of American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota as threatened or endangered under the Act and designate critical habitat for that DPS. In addition, the petition, submitted by the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, Center for Native Ecosystems, Native Ecosystems Council, and Prairie Hills Audubon Society, requested emergency listing of the DPS... we find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information to indicate that listing the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota may be warranted. This finding is based on the lack of substantial scientific evidence to indicate that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota may meet the elements of being a valid DPS and, therefore, a listable entity under the Act. Although the population appears to meet the criteria for being discrete, neither the information in the petition nor the information readily available in our files suggests that the Black Hills dipper population may be significant in relation to the remainder of the taxon. Therefore, we conclude that the American dipper in the Black Hills of South Dakota does not satisfy the elements of being a DPS under our 1996 policy and, therefore, is not a listable entity...