The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today released a draft economic analysis that estimates costs associated with the conservation of four invertebrates found in the springs, seeps and sinkholes in the Pecos River basin in New Mexico and Texas. Invertebrates are animals without an internal skeleton.
The analysis was conducted as part of the Service's proposal to declare three aquatic snails, Roswell springsnail, Koster's springsnail, and Pecos assiminea and a freshwater shrimp, the Noel's amphipod, as endangered with critical habitat. The rare species are found on federal lands managed by the Service, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, and on private lands managed by The Nature Conservancy in Texas.
The draft economic study identifies and analyzes the potential economic effects and benefits of designating critical habitat for the invertebrates over the next 10 years. Conservation costs are estimated between $352,000 to $691,000 New annually. Although more than 80 percent of the estimated costs are associated with oil and gas activities on Bureau of Land Management lands within the Bitter Lake Habitat Protection Zone, the impact would represent less than four percent of annual natural gas production in Chaves County.
The Service is accepting public comment on the draft economic analysis, a draft environmental assessment and the proposal until June 3. A final decision is expected in early August.
The proposal is part of a 2001 lawsuit settlement between the Service and four environmental organizations involving actions on 30 species nationwide.
Critical habitat has been proposed on approximately 1,127 acres at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge and on approximately 397 acres at the East Sandia Spring and Diamond Y spring complexes managed by the Nature Conservancy of Texas. Under the Endangered Species Act, critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations. A designation does not establish a refuge or preserve, and has no impact on private landowners taking actions on their land that do not require Federal funding or permits.
When specifying an area as critical habitat, the ESA requires the Service to consider economic and other relevant impacts of the designation. If the benefits of excluding an area outweigh the benefits of including it, the Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat, unless this would result in the extinction of a threatened or endangered species.
In 30 years of implementing the ESA, the Service has found that designation of critical habitat provides little additional protection for most listed species, while preventing the agency from using scarce conservation resources for activities with greater conservation benefits.
In almost all cases, recovery of listed species will come through voluntary cooperative partnerships, not regulatory measures such as critical habitat. Habitat is also protected through cooperative measures under the ESA, including Habitat Conservation Plans, Safe Harbor Agreements, Candidate Conservation Agreements and state programs. In addition, voluntary partnership programs such as the Service's Private Stewardship Grants and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program also restore habitat. Habitat for listed species is provided on many of the Service's National Wildlife Refuges, and state wildlife management areas.
Comments can be sent to Field Supervisor, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2105 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87113, by facsimile to (505) 346-2542 or by electronic mail to R2FWE_AL@fws.gov">. Copies of the proposed rule can be obtained by calling the Service at (505) 761-4706 or writing to the above address. The documents are posted on the internet at: .
2 6ptThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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-http://southwest.fws.gov-
