Withdrawal of Proposed Rule To List the Pecos Pupfish (Cyprinodon pecosensis) as Endangered

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), withdraw the proposal to list the Pecos pupfish (Cyprinodon pecosensis) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Pecos pupfish is native to the Pecos River and its tributaries, and nearby lakes, sinkholes, and saline springs in New Mexico and Texas. The species now occurs in some reaches of the Pecos River in New Mexico, on lands administered by us, the New Mexico Division of State Parks (NMDSP), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); and on private lands in Texas. This withdrawal is based on actions taken by us and other Federal and State resource and management agencies to remove immediate threats to the species and also on commitments by us and those agencies to actively protect and enhance existing populations and habitats and to repatriate the species to appropriate habitats within its native range. In cooperation with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), New Mexico Department of Agriculture, NMDSP, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and BLM, we have executed a Conservation Agreement that addresses the threats to the survival of the species. These protections will sufficiently assure the viability of the Pecos pupfish within its historical range.