[Federal Register: May 20, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 97)]
[Notices]               
[Page 27596-27600]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20my99-114]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Listing 
Priority Guidance for Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) announce proposed 
guidance for assigning relative priorities to listing actions conducted 
under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended (Act) 
during fiscal years (FY) 1999 and 2000. We have returned to a more 
balanced listing program and have reduced the serious backlogs that 
remained from the 1995-96 moratorium and funding rescission. A method 
for prioritizing among the various listing activities is necessary to 
ensure that an organized system for conserving species is in place. It 
is extremely important for us to focus our efforts on listing actions 
that will provide the greatest conservation benefits to imperiled 
species in the most expeditious and biologically sound manner. We will 
no longer recognize tiers and nationwide, we will undertake all listing 
activities in all priority levels simultaneously; however, we will 
observe relative priorities among various listing actions as described 
in this guidance. The highest priority will be processing emergency 
listing rules for any species determined to face a significant and 
imminent risk to its well being. Second priority is the processing of 
final determinations on proposed additions to the lists of endangered 
and threatened wildlife and plants. Third priority is processing new 
proposals to add species to the lists. The processing of administrative 
petition findings (petitions filed under section 4 of the Act) is the 
fourth priority. The processing of critical habitat determinations 
(prudency and determinability decisions) and proposed or final 
designations of critical habitat will be funded separately from other 
section 4 listing actions and will no longer be subject to 
prioritization under Listing Priority Guidance. Critical habitat 
determinations, which were previously included in final listing rules 
published in the Federal Register, may now be processed separately, in 
which case stand alone critical habitat determinations will be 
published as notices in the Federal Register. We will undertake 
critical habitat determinations and designations during FY 1999 and FY 
2000 as allowed by our funding allocation for that year. Delisting 
activities are no longer part of the listing program and will be 
undertaken by the recovery program in FY 1999 and beyond.

DATES: We will accept comments on this guidance until June 21, 1999. 
The final FY 1998 and FY 1999 Listing Priority Guidance published on 
May 6, 1998 (63 FR 25502), will remain in effect until the Final FY 
1999 and FY 2000 Listing Priority Guidance is published.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding this guidance to the Chief, Division 
of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street, 
N.W., Mailstop ARLSQ-420, Washington, D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief, Division of Endangered Species, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 703-358-2171 (see ADDRESSES section).