Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the salamander mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua), a freshwater mussel species from the United States (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and Canada (Ontario), as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the salamander mussel. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the salamander mussel as an endangered species under the Act. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the salamander mussel under the Act. In total, approximately 2,012 river miles (3,238 kilometers) in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the salamander mussel. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species and its designated critical habitat.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [Docket No. FWS-R3-ES-2023-0058; FF09E21000 FXES1111090FEDR 234] RIN 1018-BG38 ( printed page 57224) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the salamander mussel ( Simpsonaias ambigua ), a freshwater mussel species from the United States (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and Canada (Ontario), as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the salamander mussel. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the salamander mussel as an endangered species under the Act. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the salamander mussel under the Act. In total, approximately 2,012 river miles (3,238 kilometers) in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the salamander mussel. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it woul…
Citation: 88 FR 57224