The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced the completion of 5-year reviews for 14 species in California. Of the reviews being announced today, the Service has recommended downlisting for the San Clemente larkspur from endangered to threatened. The Service has recommended no change in status for the 13 other species reviewed.
These 5-year reviews were undertaken as required by section 4(c)(2)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act). This list of completed reviews incorporates species that were noticed for review on July 7, 2005, March 22, 2006, and Feb. 14, 2007. The 5-year review constitutes a recommendation by the Service. Any change in the listing status will require a separate rulemaking process.
More information about the species included in this announcement is found online: Gowen cypress, Monterey gilia, and Morro manzanita [Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office]. Ash-grey (Indian) paintbrush, Bear Valley sandwort, California taraxacum, San Clemente larkspur, San Jacinto Valley crownscale, southern mountain buckwheat, willowy monardella, El Segundo blue butterfly, Palos Verdes blue butterfly, and Delhi Sands flower-loving fly [Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office]. Behrens silverspot butterfly [http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/five_year_review_lists.html.
Under the Act, the Service maintains a list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species at 50 CFR 17.11 (for animals) and 17.12 (for plants). The Act also requires that we conduct a review of listed species at least once every five years and on the basis of such reviews determine whether or not any species should be removed from the List (delisted), or reclassified from endangered to threatened (downlisted) or from threatened to endangered (uplisted). Any change in federal classification requires a separate rulemaking process distinct from the 5-year review.
