This week, the media has reported two changes in key roles at the Department of the Interior (“DOI”) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”). Greg Sheehan has reportedly left his role as Principal Deputy Director of...more
The Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) has announced a 90-day comment period on proposed amendments to six Resource Management Plans (“RMPs”) and associated draft Environmental Impact Statements (“DEISs”) designed to protect...more
5/4/2018
/ Bureau of Land Management ,
Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Natural Resources ,
Public Land ,
Resource Management ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On April 3, 2018, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a final to rule listing the yellow lance mussel (Elliptio lanceolata) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ...more
On December 27, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially reversed and remanded a decision by the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, delaying if not derailing an expansion in...more
1/3/2018
/ Appeals ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Claims ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fishing Industry ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
NEPA ,
Policy Violations ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
It has been a busy October for the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). On October 11, 2017, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced its intention to amend the existing greater sage grouse habitat management...more
10/25/2017
/ Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Delisting ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Proposed Rules ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On July 19, 2017, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee legislative hearing on five bills that would amend portions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)....more
7/21/2017
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Natural Resources ,
Proposed Legislation ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On April 28, 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the United States District Court for the District of Montana’s finding that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) determination...more
On December 16, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued a long-awaited final rule (Rule) revising the regulations that govern the Service’s eagle take permit program (Eagle Permit Program) under the Bald and...more
On September 19, 2016, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published proposed rules to list two species of dolphin and two species of guitarfish under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS proposes to list the...more
On August 4, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued a final rule confirming its 2011 revision to the designation of critical habitat for the marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). The Service listed...more
On May 6, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) published its proposed revisions to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (“BGEPA”) permit program. The stated intention of these proposed revisions is to...more
On April 4, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana vacated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) August 13, 2014 withdrawal of its proposed rule to list the distinct population segment of the North...more
On February 5, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the “Services”) announced the availability of two final rules and one policy addressing critical habitat under the...more
On December 24, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released its annual Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR) summarizing the status of species that qualify as candidates for listing under the Endangered Species...more
On October 27, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) issued a memorandum to the Service Regional Directors announcing new guidance to streamline findings on petitions to list species under the Endangered...more
On the heels of the recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) decision not to list the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) under the Endangered Species Act and the concurrent Bureau of Land Management (BLM)...more
During the last week of its fiscal year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) made several findings under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) to meet its obligations under the 2011 listing settlement...more
On September 1, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Midland Division vacated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (“Service”) Final Rule listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken (“LPC”) as threatened. The...more
On July 1, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published notice of its 90-day findings on petitions to list 31 species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Of these 31 species, all of which occur in the...more
This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a notice in the Federal Register identifying its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement analyzing various approaches for regulating incidental...more