Proposed Rule To Remove the Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife

Under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus), more commonly called the Delmarva fox squirrel (DFS), from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife due to recovery. This proposed action is based on a thorough review of all available information, which indicates that the subspecies is now sufficiently abundant and distributed to withstand current and foreseeable threats to its long-term viability and thus no longer meets the definition of a threatened species or an endangered species under the Act. We are also providing notification that a draft post-delisting monitoring (PDM) plan is available for public review. We are seeking information and comments from the public on this proposed rule and the PDM plan.