Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Puerto Rican skink (Spondylurus nitidus), a skink species from Puerto Rico and Desecheo Island, and the Lesser Virgin Islands skink (S. semitaeniatus) and Virgin Islands bronze skink (S. sloanii), two skink species from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, as endangered species. We propose to list the Culebra skink (S. culebrae), a skink species from Culebra Island and offshore cays of Puerto Rico, as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) ("4(d) rule"). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing these species is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, we will add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to these species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the Puerto Rican skink, Culebra skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink under the Act. We also announce the availability of an economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Puerto Rican skink, Culebra skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink. We find that it is not warranted at this time to list the Mona skink (Spondylurus monae), the Greater Virgin Islands skink (S. spilonotus), the Greater Saint Croix skink (S. magnacruzae), and the Lesser Saint Croix skink (Capitellum parvicruzae). However, we ask the public to submit to us at any time any new information relevant to the status of any of the species mentioned above and their habitats.
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-R4-ES-2024-0154; FXES1111090FEDR-256-FF09E21000] RIN 1018-BH81 ( printed page 103938) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule and notification of findings. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Puerto Rican skink ( Spondylurus nitidus ), a skink species from Puerto Rico and Desecheo Island, and the Lesser Virgin Islands skink ( S. semitaeniatus ) and Virgin Islands bronze skink ( S. sloanii ), two skink species from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, as endangered species. We propose to list the Culebra skink ( S. culebrae ), a skink species from Culebra Island and offshore cays of Puerto Rico, as a threatened species with protective regulations under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) (“4(d) rule”). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing these species is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, we will add these species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to these species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the Puerto Rican skink, Culebra skink, Lesser Virgin Islands skink, and Virgin Islands bronze skink under the Act. We also announce the availability of an economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Pu…
Citation: 89 FR 103938
