Bi-State Sage Grouse Listing Update

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced on September 27, an extension on the final determination of whether to list the Bi-State Sage Grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

USFWS is extending their final determination based on substantial disagreement regarding the sufficiency and accuracy of the available data relevant to the proposed listing, making it necessary to solicit additional information. Therefore, along with the announcement to extend the final determination, USFWS is also reopening the comment periods for the proposed rule to list the species and the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the species for an additional 30 days.

Additional comments will be accepted through October 31, 2019. Submit electronically at www.regulations.gov by searching under docket number FWS–R8–ES–2018–0106 (proposed listing determination) or FWS–R8–ES–2018–0107 (proposed critical habitat designation) and clicking on the “comment now” button. All interested parties are encouraged to share new and emerging information during the comment period. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they are already incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in the final rules.

A final listing determination will be published in the Federal Register no later than April 1, 2020.