A draft environmental assessment and draft economic analysis of the potential impacts of designating critical habitat for the desert yellowhead, a perennial herb in the sunflower family found on federally-managed land in the Beaver Rim area of Fremont County, Wyoming, are available for public comment.
To give the public the opportunity to comment on these documents as well as the critical habitat proposal, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the public comment period on the proposal for critical habitat for the desert yellowhead until (30 days from publication).
The draft economic analysis, prepared by Industrial Economics, Inc., indicates that over a 10-year period, direct costs are estimated at $500,000 to $600,000 for federal agencies to consult with the Service to ensure that a particular activity does not harm the critical habitat. However, only a portion of these costs would be attributable to a critical habitat designation. Even without critical habitat, consultation activities would still be taking place, but it is difficult to quantify precisely what portion of the total costs can be attributed to the critical habitat designation.
"The Endangered Species Act requires that whenever a federal agency undertakes, funds, or issues a permit for a project, the agency needs to consult with the Service," explained Ralph Morgenweck, the Service
