Petition To List the Douglas County Pocket Gopher as Threatened or Endangered: Notice of 90-day petition finding, Not substantial

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Douglas County pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides macrotis) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Douglas County pocket gopher may be warranted. This finding is based on our determination that the Douglas County pocket gopher is more widespread than indicated in the petition, that substantially more sites are currently occupied, and that many of these occupied sites are protected from development by being part of county-administered open space, Lowry Military Reservation lands, or various State-owned lands in Douglas, Arapahoe, and Elbert Counties, Colorado. Therefore, we will not initiate a status review in response to this petition. However, the public may submit to us new information concerning the status of or threats to the Douglas County pocket gopher at any time.