The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made two partial determinations regarding a petition submitted by WildEarth Guardians to protect 206 species under the Endangered Species Act. 

In the first partial finding published on February 5, 2009, the Service found that the petition did not contain substantial information that listing may be warranted for 165 of the petitioned species; therefore, the Service did not initiate a further status review for these species. 

In the second partial finding which published on August 18, 2009, the Service found that 29 of the petitioned species may warrant Federal protection.  Therefore, the Service is undertaking a more thorough review of these species to determine whether to propose adding them to the Federal list of threatened and endangered wildlife and plants.  The Service also determined that the petition did not present substantial information that listing may be warranted for 9 other species. The Service will accept scientific information and comments on this finding until October 19, 2009.

Two of the 206 petitioned plant species, the pinnate spring-parsley and the Diamond Valley suncup, were addressed in a petition finding for 475 Southwestern species which published on January 6, 2009.  The Service determined the petition did not provide substantial information that listing the two plants was warranted. 

One additional species, the Gierisch mallow, has been added to the list of candidate species, and will be proposed for listing when funding is available.

• Press Release – August 18, 2009: Fish and Wildlife Service to Conduct Status Reviews for 29 Species
• Federal Register Notice:  August 18, 2009:  Partial 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List 206 Species in the Midwest and Western United States as Threatened or Endangered With Critical Habitat
• Press Release: February 5, 2009 Endangered Species Act Protection for 165 Petitioned Species Not Warranted
• Federal Register: February 5, 2009 Partial 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List 206 Species in the Midwest and Western United States as Threatened or Endangered With Critical Habitat
  
• Species List
• Forest Guardians Petition