Proposed Rule: Endangered Species Status for the Dixie Valley Toad

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Dixie Valley toad (Anaxyrus williamsi), a toad species from Nevada, 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 Dixie Valley toad. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. An emergency rule listing this species as endangered for 240 days is published concurrently in this issue of the Federal Register. We find that the designation of critical habitat for the Dixie Valley toad is not determinable at this time. We solicit additional data, information, and comments that may assist us in making a final decision on this action. We also are notifying the public that we have scheduled an informational meeting followed by a public hearing on the proposed rule.