Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus), a species found only in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the dunes sagebrush lizard. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it will add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species. We find the designation of critical habitat to be prudent but not determinable at this time.