FWS announced findings that listing two species—the north Oregon coast distinct population segment of the red tree vole and the Plateau spot-tailed earless lizard—as endangered or threatened species under the ESA is not warranted at this time.
FWS proposed new regulations to support conservation in the National Wildlife Refuge System by providing refuge managers with a consistent approach for evaluating and implementing management actions to ensure biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health, in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.
December 2023 marked 50 years since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law. The ESA has proven resilient to numerous legal challenges and saved many species from extinction. But its overall success has been debated, as the list of endangered and threatened species continues to grow, and only 54 species have been taken off of the list completely. On October 26, 2023, the Environmental Law Institute hosted a panel of experts who explored the successes and shortcomings of the statute and discussed what might happen next as climate change increases the risk of extinction.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 1,483.03 acres as an addition to the reservation of Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
EPA announced a 30-day public comment period on draft updates to its Scientific Integrity Policy that will adopt a new federal definition of scientific integrity and meaningfully strengthen several policy elements to ensure a culture of scientific integrity at the Agency.
FWS initiated five-year status reviews under the ESA of 22 animal and plant species.
FWS announced 90-day findings on petitions to list Betta hendra, Betta rutilans, Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander, pygmy rabbit, Railroad Valley toad, Southern Plains bumble bee, Southwest spring firefly, white-margined penstemon, and yellow-spotted woodland salamander, finding that listing may be warranted under the ESA.
FWS initiated five-year status reviews under the ESA for the Aleutian shield fern and the Alaska breeding population of Steller’s eider.
FWS initiated five-year status reviews under the ESA for five northeastern species.