Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Northern Long-Eared Bat

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), reclassify the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), a bat species found in all or portions of 37 U.S. States, the District of Columbia, and much of Canada, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Our review of the best available scientific and commercial information indicates that the northern long- eared bat meets the Act's definition of an endangered species. Because we are reclassifying the northern long-eared bat from a threatened to an endangered species, we are amending this species' listing on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife to reflect its endangered species status and removing its species-specific rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act.