12-Month Finding on a Petition To Delist the Southern Selkirk Mountains Population of Woodland Caribou and Proposed Rule To Amend the Listing; Proposed Rule

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to delist the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). This species is currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that delisting the species is not warranted, but rather, a revision to the current listed entity to define a distinct population segment (DPS), consistent with our 1996 distinct population segment policy, is appropriate. As such, we propose to amend the current listing of the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou by defining the Southern Mountain Caribou DPS, which includes the currently listed southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou, and we propose to designate the status of the Southern Mountain Caribou DPS as threatened under the Act. If we finalize this rule as proposed, the Southern Mountain Caribou DPS will be listed as threatened under the Act. This DPS includes the currently listed southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou, a transboundary population that moves between British Columbia, Canada, and northern Idaho and northeastern Washington, United States. We have determined that the approximately 30,010 acres (12,145 hectares) designated as critical habitat on November 28, 2012 (77 FR 71042), for the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou is applicable to the U.S. portion of the proposed Southern Mountain Caribou DPS and, as such, reaffirm the existing critical habitat for the DPS should the proposed amendment to the listed entity become final.