The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing the Notice of Availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed critical habitat for the sharpnose and smalleye shiners. The draft economic analysis provides estimated costs of the foreseeable potential economic impacts resulting from the proposed critical habitat designation for the two shiner species.
In releasing the draft economic analysis, the Service is also reopening the comment period for 30 days to allow the public an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the August 6, 2013, proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the sharpnose and smalleye shiners, and the associated draft economic analysis.
On August 6, 2013, the Service proposed to list the smalleye and sharpnose shiners as endangered and to designate 1,002 river kilometers (623 river miles) and the riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian areas extending 30 meters (m) (98 feet (ft)) on each side of the stream channel beyond the bankfull width in Baylor, Crosby, Fisher, Garza, Haskell, Kent, King, Knox, Stonewall, Throckmorton and Young counties. When specifying an area as critical habitat, the Endangered Species Act requires the Service to consider economic and other relevant impacts of the designation. If the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of designating it, the Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat, unless doing so would jeopardize the existence of a threatened or endangered species.
The draft economic analysis for the sharpnose and smalleye shiners quantifies the economic impacts of conservation efforts associated with water management, including flood control and drought protection operation; instream projects; transportation activities including bridge construction; oil and natural gas exploration and development; and utilities projects, including water and sewer lines. All incremental costs are administrative in nature and result from the consideration of adverse modification in section 7 consultations.
The incremental costs are anticipated to be relatively low given that the proposed critical habitat is occupied by the species, the proposed critical habitat units are in remote areas and few actions being carried out in the area are subject to a Federal nexus. The total present value impacts U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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anticipated from the designation of critical habitat for the smalleye and sharpnose shiners is
likely to be less than $84,000 per year.
The Service will accept public comments received or postmarked on or before April 3, 2014.
For more information on this proposal, what to comment on, or how to submit comments, see the
Federal Register notice on our web site at http://www.fws.gov/southwest.
America’s fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of
imperiled species is a shared responsibility. We’re working to actively engage conservation
partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover
imperiled species. To learn more about the Endangered Species program, go to
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish,
wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more
information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels:
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Press Release
SERVICE ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF DRAFT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR SHARPNOSE AND SMALLEYE SHINERS
